Texas Rural Health Policy Network

Larry Gamm, Ph.D.Department of Health Policy and Management

Texas A&M Health Science Center School of Rural Public Health

Rural Health Trifecta: Collaborating to Make Difference - Conference of Texas Rural Health Association, Texas Hospital Association

and its Rural Hospitals Constituency Section, and Office of Rural Community Affairs’ Critical Access Hospitals and with cooperation of Texas Organization

of Rural and Community Hospitals, August 6, 2008

Background

• June 2007 –first annual National Rural Assembly in Washington, DC promoting rural policy networks

• August 2007 – proposed to TRHA conference policy session the development of such a network

• Agreement with Texas Rural Health Association to collaborate to assess interest in network, January 2008

• A series of other activities over the past seven months

Activities to Date

• TRHA board nominated state-level associations and agencies with significant interest in rural health

• Letters and phone calls to 21 Texas organizations

• Responses from nearly one-half of the organizations; began a rural health policy interest data base

• Follow-up with

– Texas Hospital Association on nursing shortage

– Southeast Texas Health System -Technology for Home Care

– SB 10 discussions

Purpose and Goals

• Encourage the sharing of information to– support wide-spread knowledge and – greater participation in the development of

rural health policy for Texas

Planned Actions

• Contact and attend meetings of Texas Associations and agencies that have an interest in rural health.

• Learn what policy issues are discussed or advanced by these associations at their conferences, board meetings, or other settings.

• Do additional background research on the policy issues.

• Provide a newsletter or other medium that captures major elements of rural health policy issues from these Texas organizations and other sources.

Minimal Infrastructure for 2008-2009

• A faculty champion interested in policy

• A graduate assistant, possibly supported by the Department and/or external contributor

• Several MPH students interested in policy who:– research Texas rural health policy issues– contact state associations and agencies– attend selected conferences of these organizations (probably

registration free)

• Semi-annual Texas Rural Health Policy Network letter.

Nominated Texas Organizations (1 of 3)

• Nurse Oncology Education Program • Office of Rural Community Affairs • Texas Academy of Family Physicians• Texas Academy of Physician Assistants • Texas Association of Community Health Centers • Texas Association of Local Health Officials • Texas Association of Rural Health Clinics

Nominated Texas Organizations (2 of 3)

• Texas Children's Policy Council • Texas Cooperative Extension • Texas Diabetes Council • Texas Health Institute • Texas Hospital Association • Texas Medical Association • Texas Nurses Association • Texas Organization of Rural and Community

Hospitals

Nominated Texas Organizations (3 of 3)

• Texas Osteopathic Medical Association

• Texas Public Health Association

• Texas Rural Health Association

• Texas Dept. of Mental Health and Mental Retardation (TDMHMR)

• Texas Department of State Health Services

• Texas Department of Aging and Disability Services

Frequently Mentioned Policy Concerns

• Physicians – recruitment, shortages

• Nurses – staffing, shortages

• Medicaid and CHIP

• Rural hospitals, critical access hospitals

• Rural health clinics

• EMS

• Mental health and substance abuse

Three Policy Issues Surfaced

• SB 10

• Texas nursing supply

• Technology for community-based alternatives to institutional settings for rural elderly

Next Steps

• Continue with Texas Rural Health Association to explore organizations’ support for the Texas Rural Health Policy Network

• Strengthen policy, research, education links

• Work with other organizations to strengthen the network and its activities

• Identify new communications modes to support network activities

Thanks!

Contact Info:

Larry Gamm

Department of Health Policy and Management

Texas A&M HSC School of Rural Public Health

979-458-2244

gamm@srph.tamhsc.edu