According to news briefs from the Rural Assistance Center (www.raconline.org) web site posted March 3rd, 2008, “Six medical school programs that address the shortage of rural physicians could be replicated nationally to double the number of rural physicians over the next decade, concludes a study in the March issue of Academic Medicine. According to the authors of the study, “If 125 medical schools developed similar programs for 10 students per class, this would result in approximately 11,390 rural physicians during the next decade, more than double the current estimation of rural doctors produced during that time frame.”

Click here for a link to the study.

Click here for a link to the original brief on RAC.

2. Surgeon Shortage Threat to U.S. Hospitals and Rural Americans

According to a news story written by Robert Davis and featured in USA Today online February 26, 2008, a health care crisis is brewing in hospitals nationwide. It is a problem that supposedly has its roots in the 1980’s and 1990’s when U.S. Medical schools “put a cap on enrollments, believing that managed health care, among other factors, would create a glut of doctors. They were wrong. And now the impact of a national shortage of surgeons and family practice doctors is echoing across the country. The shortage of surgeons is a particular threat to the health care of 54 million rural Americans, medical specialists say.” Having a surgeon is vital to keeping the doors of small hospitals open.

Click here for a link to the USA Today story.

3. Feds to Overhaul Flu Vaccine for 2009

According to a February 21, 2008 news report by AP Medical Writer Lauran Neergaard, featured on the Yahoo.com website (www.yahoo.com), the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and World Health Organization (WHO) announced the decision to overhaul the flu vaccine for the 2008-2009 season by providing protection against three new and different influenza strains. The reason being, the Brisbane/10 strain is the reason for the influenza misery of this recently past winter. First spotted in Australia late last winter, it was too late for scientists to include in this year's vaccine recipe. According to the article, “each year's vaccine contains protection against two varieties of the harsher Type A flu — subtypes known as H1N1 and H3N2 — and one from the more benign Type B family. CDC and international authorities expect Brisbane/10, a version of the H3N2 flu, to still be around next year. They predict a second new Type A strain, known as H1N1/Brisbane/59, also will hit, along with a newer Type B/Florida strain.” As a result, the recipe for the 2008-2009 Flu Vaccine will include defenses against all three strains.

Click here for the link to the Yahoo.com news story.

Click here for the link to another CBS news story on the topic.

Click here for the FDA’s news brief on the subject.

4. Supporting Rural Family Caregivers Broadcast

On March 19th from 1:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. (ET) the Department of Health and Human Services New Freedom Initiative (NFI) Subcommittee on Caregiving, in partnership with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, is presenting a broadcast on "Supporting Rural Family Caregivers". The purpose of the broadcast is to “conduct a discussion of the difficulties faced by rural family caregivers and how to support them in areas with limited provider agencies, manpower shortages, and transportation challenges.” As such, it will feature “family caregivers who have applied innovative means to be effective caregivers in rural areas.” Furthermore, a segment will be devoted to taking questions from the audience that would be answered by panelists.

Click here for more details and registration information.

5. New Website for EMS Community

Looking for a new website to meet the varied needs of the EMS Community? Then look no further…the Office of Emergency Medical Services (OEMS) at NHTSA has launched its website EMS.gov. Be sure to visit the site for the latest news from OEMS, links to other EMS Web sites and resources, and background and updates on “groundbreaking Federal initiatives and programs, including: Emergency Medical Services for Children, the National EMS Information System, the Federal Interagency Committee on EMS, Enhanced 9-1-1 and Next Generation 9-1-1, and the National EMS Advisory Council.”

Click here for a link to the website.

Across Arizona

1. Public Health Preparedness- Arizona

According to a February 20, 2008 press brief on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website, “CDC’s Coordinating Office for Terrorism Preparedness and Emergency Response (COTPER) has released its inaugural report on public health emergency preparedness.” The report titled Public Health Preparedness: Mobilizing State by State highlights the progress that has been made in state and local preparedness and response, identifies preparedness challenges facing public health departments, and outlines the CDC’s efforts to address those challenges. The report was designed to “increase accountability regarding the country’s investment in preparedness activities”, and provides national data as well as state-specific information.

Click here for more information about the report.

Click here for the link to Arizona specific details.

2. Rural Ambulance Service Budget Model Workshop

Learning Objective:

Each participant will learn how to prepare an operational budget tailored to his/her own ambulance service.

When:

March 17, 2008

9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Where:

Arizona Department of Health Services, Room 540 A

150 North 18th Avenue

Phoenix, Arizona 85007

Who: Representatives of Ambulance Services that are involved in setting or working with the ambulance budgets and have a strong working knowledge of Microsoft Excel™. Participants need not be experts in Excel, but should have some basic skills in areas like developing simple formulas. All participants should bring their existing budgets and laptop computers with Excel loaded on the machine.

Trainer: Critical Illness and Trauma Foundation, an organization dedicated to the prevention of injury and illness.

CEU: 6 hours of CEU and a certificate of completion will be awarded to all who successfully complete the training

Cost: ADHS Bureau of EMS and Trauma System will reimburse participants for food, travel and lodging consistent with State rates. Eight licensed copies of the QuickBooks software are available at no charge from the Bureau of EMS and Trauma System – two per EMS region.

Class Size: Class size is limited to 24 participants. Applicants whose service is in a community served by an Arizona Critical Access Hospital will have preference.

Also…

Rural Ambulance Service Budget Model Workshop Train-the Trainer Session

When:

March 18, 2008

9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

Where:

Arizona Department of Health Services, Room 540 A

150 North 18th Avenue

Phoenix, Arizona 85007

Who: Participants must be able to commit to conducting training with other rural Ambulance Services in the State of Arizona

CEU: No additional CEU are available for this workshop

Cost: ADHS Bureau of EMS and Trauma System will reimburse participants for food, travel and lodging consistent with State rates.

Class Size: Class size is limited to four participants that completed day one training listed above.

For registration information and application form please contact:

Ms. Angie Cauthon

Bureau of EMS and Trauma Systems

150 North 18th Avenue, Suite 540

Phoenix, Arizona 85007-3248

Phone: (602) 364-3156

Fax: (602) 364-3568

cauthoav@azdhs.gov

3. Rural EMS Managers Awareness Workshop

The Arizona Rural Health Office, Rural Hospital Flexibility Grant Program, The University of Arizona Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health, and the Arizona Department of Health Services, Bureau of EMS and Trauma Systems, will be hosting a one day "Rural EMS Managers Awareness Program Workshop" to be held on Monday, April 21, 2008. The workshop will be conducted by the Critical Illness and Trauma Foundation (CIT) from Bozeman, MT. The Rural EMS Managers Awareness Program is based on the generally accepted concept that an EMS system should have fourteen components. These components provide the framework for the management training program.

Learning Objective:

Each participant will learn management tools under understand the manager’s role in administering a successful ambulance service. Focus is on 14 modules that discuss the components of EMS systems and the manager’s role in each of the 14 areas.

When:

April 21, 2008

9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Where:

Arizona Department of Health Services, Room 540 A

150 North 18th Avenue

Phoenix, Arizona 85007

Who: The target audience for this training is newly elected or appointed EMS managers (First responder and/or ambulance) with limited previous experience in running an EMS agency. The training will utilize a web-based core of information followed by scenario based problem solving and discussion.

CEU: The program will be awarded 8 hours of CEU and a certificate of completion will be awarded to all who successfully complete the training

Cost: ADHS Bureau of EMS and Trauma System will reimburse participants for food, travel and lodging consistent with State rates.

Class Size: Class size is limited to 8 participants. Applicants whose service is in a community served by an Arizona Critical Access Hospital will have preference.

For registration information and application form please contact:

Ms. Angie Cauthon

Bureau of EMS and Trauma Systems

150 North 18th Avenue, Suite 540

Phoenix, Arizona 85007-3248

Phone: (602) 364-3156

Fax: (602) 364-3568

cauthoav@azdhs.gov

4. Southern Arizona Rural Health & Policy Legislative Forum

Date: Friday, March 14, 2008

Location:

Windemere Hotel & Conference Center

2047 S Highway 92, Sierra Vista, Arizona 85635

Time: 8:00am to 4:00pm

Morning Workshops Include:

Domestic Violence
Adolescents and Substance Abuse
Immigration

Lunch Break Speaker:

Timothy J. Schmaltz

Topic: “Legislative Update”

Afternoon Sessions Include:

Invited representative from the Governor’s Office
Meet and greet with your legislative representative

Open Forum:

Legislator Health & Social Service Agendas

This forum is made possible with grant funding from the National Rural Health Association to the Arizona Rural Health Association

Arizona Association of Community Health Centers
Southeast Arizona Area Health Education Center
The Rural Health Office of The University of Arizona Mel & Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health
Southern Arizona Community Agencies

Attendance is free but advance registration is required.

Click here for Registration Information.

www.rho.arizona.edu

www.azahec.org

www.rfwhcc.org

5. Save the Date

Event:

2008 Annual Partners in Public Health Luncheon-

"Where the Germs Are: Staying Healthy in a World of Emerging Infections"

Date: Thursday, April 10, 2008

Location:

The Arizona Inn

Tucson Room

2200 E. Elm Street

Tucson, AZ 85719

Time:

11:30 a.m. Registration and Socialize

12:00 p.m. Lunch and Discussion

Speaker:

Kelly Reynolds, MPH, PhD

Associate Professor

Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health

The University of Arizona

**Special Welcome by Tucson Mayor Bob Walkup.

Topic:

Despite dramatic improvements in the understanding and identification of infectious disease-causing agents in our environment, new threats continue to emerge. From pandemic flu and food borne outbreaks, to MRSA and antibiotic resistance, microbial pathogens and humans continue to cross paths- frequently resulting in adverse public health effects.

Dr. Kelly Reynolds will be discussing how we are most likely to be exposed to pathogenic microbes and will offer sound advice on how to maintain a healthier environment and minimize the risks of illness. Dr. Reynolds has been recently featured nationally on the Today Show, the Montel Williams Show, in Parents, Self, as well as other magazines.

Registration:

Partners in Public Health Members (PIPH) cost ~ $25 PIPH Membership ~ $75 Non-members luncheon ~ $40 Table of 10 ~ $250

Please RSVP by Monday, March 31, 2008

For more information, please contact

Ms. Donna Knight

Phone: (520) 626-6459

E-mail: dknight@email.arizona.edu

Grants and Opportunities

Note: Technical assistance is available for the development of grant proposals and other funding applications from the professional staff of the Rural Health Office and the State Office of Rural Health Program. Please contact Jennifer Peters.

1. Small Rural Hospital Improvement Program
Application deadline: March 18, 2008

The Small Rural Hospital Improvement Program (HRSA-08-062) is designed to help small rural hospitals meet the costs of implementing data systems required to address requirements of the Medicare Prospective Payment System (PPS). Funding for this program was first provided by the Labor/HHS Appropriations Act for FY2002 in which conference report language expanded the purpose of this grant program to also help small rural hospitals comply with provisions of Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act(HIPPA) of 1996, to reduce medical errors and support quality improvement. The project is supported by the Health Resources & Services Administration. The brief announcement is available here.

Click here for full announcement details.

2. Older Adults Targeted Capacity Expansion (TCE) Grant Program
Application deadline: March 28, 2008

The Older Adults Targeted Capacity Expansion (TCE) Program is one of SAMHSA’s services grant programs. It is designed to help communities provide direct services and build the necessary infrastructure to support expanded services for meeting the diverse mental health needs of older persons. The goal is to address gaps in mental health prevention and treatment services and/or to increase the ability of States, units of local government, American Indian/Alaska Native tribes and tribal organizations and community and faith-based organizations to help specific populations or geographic areas with serious, emerging mental health problems. The project is supported by the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). The brief announcement is available here.

Click here for full announcement details.

3. Targeted Rural Health Research Grant Program
Application deadline: April 02, 2008

The Targeted Rural Health Research Grant Program (HRSA-08-061) is designed to support 18 months of rural health research studies focused on a selected number of topics. The focus for grant recipients is to conduct and disseminate policy-relevant research on issues of national significance in the area of rural health services as they relate to topic areas such as: Rural health Clinics, Frontier Health Service Delivery, Emergency Medical Services (EMS), Rural Health Leadership, Allied Health Workforce, and Public Health. The project is supported by the Health Resources & Services Administration. The brief announcement is available here.

Click here for full announcement details.

4. Distance Learning & Telemedicine Grant Program
Application deadline: April 14, 2008

The Distance Learning & Telemedicine Grant Program is designed to provide loans for funding, to meet the educational and health care needs of rural America through the use of advanced telecommunications technologies. The focus is funding end-user equipment that operates via telecommunications to connect students and teachers or medical providers and patients in separate rural locations. The project is supported by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Rural Development. The brief announcement is available here.

Click here for full announcement details.

Contact Your Representatives

a. Arizona Congressional Delegation: Links to Arizona members of the U.S. House of Representatives are available at: U.S. Representatives. Links to Arizona members of the U.S. Senate are available at: U.S. Senate

b. Arizona State Legislators: Available through the Arizona Legislative Information System (ALIS): Call 1-800-352-8404 or follow links at Arizona Legislature.

Important Links

Editor's Note: This online newsletter is a joint project of the Rural Health Office housed at the UA Zuckerman College of Public Health, and the Arizona Rural Health Association, Inc. The mission of the Rural Health Office is to promote the health of rural and medically underserved individuals, families, and communities through service, education and research. The Arizona Rural Health Association, Inc. advocates on behalf of the health needs of rural Arizonans at national, state and local levels. Its multidisciplinary membership provides a respected and highly effective group of rural health practitioners and rural community residents. For example, the AzRHA, Inc. has actively and successfully advocated with the state legislature for funding for tele-medicine and mobile clinics in all fifteen counties of the state.

Your questions (or answers) are always welcome. Please send them as well as address changes to Taya Waltke, Administrative Associate, Rural Health Office.

* The new RHO Administrative Associate, Sharon Van Skiver will be handling the distribution of this newsletter effective with the April 2008 edition.

		Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health 1295 N. Martin Ave. - P.O. Box 245210 Tucson, Arizona 85724 All contents copyright © 2007. Arizona Board of Regents. The University of Arizona is an EEO/AA M/W/D/V employer.