Help improve disaster planning.

Researchers at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center are conducting a study to understand how advance practice nurses, community pharmacists, and primary care physicians response to disasters. The online survey will take about 5 minutes to complete. Responses are confidential and will help to understand perceptions about disasters. To participate, you should be at least 18 years old and an advance practice nurse, community pharmacist, or primary care physician who practices in EastTennessee.

https://uthsc.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_3F8wwi9iQuHoAE6

The Rural Health Association of Tennessee (RHA) is excited to host the Rural Health Clinic (RHC) Network Annual Summit on Tuesday, June 24, 2025, in Murfreesboro, TN. This highly anticipated event is dedicated to supporting federally designated Rural Health Clinics by providing training, resources, and networking opportunities to enhance clinic operations and patient care.

The agenda features a lineup of expert speakers covering key topics essential for RHC professionals:

Join us for a valuable Community Resource Event hosted by Purpose Point Community Health, Mount Canaan, and the Rural Health Association of Tennessee!

Come and learn about various community resources and get expert information/assistance with: TennCare Redetermination; Medicare Counseling; Marketplace Health Insurance Counseling; Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP); and more.

The Tennessee List of Reportable Diseases and Conditions, effective January 1, 2025, have been updated. The full details are available in the attached documents and also available at Tennessee Reportable Diseases.

Here are some highlights of the updates for 2025:

Time is running out!

Starting November 1, it’s time to secure your health insurance coverage for 2025! Whether you're applying for the first time or renewing your existing plan, Open Enrollment is your opportunity to review your options, explore financial assistance, and make sure your coverage begins smoothly on January 1, 2025.

Here at the Rural Health Association of Tennessee, we're dedicated to making this process as simple and stress-free as possible. As a nonprofit organization, we’re thrilled to offer you FREE assistance from our licensed health insurance agent, Andrew, who’s here to help you find the plan that best meets both your health and financial needs.

A mock survey is a practice evaluation designed to simulate an official recertification or accreditation survey. It helps clinics assess their current compliance with federal and state regulations, before an actual regulatory review takes place.

Key Aspects of a Mock Survey:

Join Rural Health Association of Tennessee in September for Recovery in Rural, a virtual learning series. Each week we'll host panelists and expert guests to discuss- What does recovery look like in rural Tennessee? What works to reduce stigma and build recovery-ready communities? What are promising practices and evidence-based solutions that help our people thrive? All sessions are virtual. Registration is required. Reach out to Jessica Rackley, RCORP Director, with questions.

Join us for an engaging conversation on how rural communities can lead the way in promoting recovery and resilience. Our panelists will share inspiring stories of progress, discuss barriers hindering recovery readiness, and outline essential steps to create inclusive environments where everyone can flourish in their recovery journey.

Join us for the August Rural Health Clinic (RHC) Lunch and Learn!

This month, we will focus on the impact of Remote Physiologic Monitoring (RPM) and Chronic Care Management (CCM) on RHC practices. We'll explore how these tools help keep practices better connected with patients and optimize overall patient well-being.

Have you submitted your nominations for the 2024 Annual Rural Health Awards? Each year the Rural Health Association of Tennessee recognizes individuals and groups of individuals from across the state of Tennessee who have dedicated themselves to the service of others within the field of rural healthcare. 

2024 Nominations are now open! Deadline to submit nominations is August 1, 2024.

Tuesday, April 23rd, we had the opportunity to host our last regional event of the season at Fall Creek Falls State Park and see our middle region members. Members had the opportunity to hear from professionals on topics including MAT in Emergency Department Settings, current drug trends, social drivers of health, and more!

The presentation topics and speakers can be found below:

• Addressing Social Drivers of Health findhelp This presentation discusses why addressing social drivers of health and why understanding social determinants are essential for creating equitable health systems and fostering healthier communities overall. Access full presentation here.
• Naloxone Training Suzanne Angel, ROPS Join us to learn from the Middle Regional Overdose Prevention Specialist about administering naloxone and further prevention efforts. Access full presentation here.
• MAT in Emergency Department Settings Kayla Mehr, TDMHSAS Join us as we talk with Kayla Mehr about MAT in the Emergency Department Settings. Access to full presentation can be found here.
  
• Suicide Prevention Melissa Alardo, TDH Join us as we talk about suicide prevention and its correlation to SUD. Access full presentation here. 
• TDH & RHA Programs and Updates Join us as we go over current program updates with not only the Rural Health Association but the Tennessee Department of Health. Access full presentation here.

May 22, 2024 RHC Lunch and Learn: Moving the Needle of Change - Caring for Patients with Opioid Use Disorder in Tennessee 

Speaker: Kayla Williams Mehr, PMHNP | MOUD Clinical Specialist with Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (TDMHSAS)

Rural Health Association of Tennessee is excited to host the Tennessee Rural Health Clinic (TN-RHC) Network Annual Meeting on Tuesday, June 25, 2024 in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. The meeting will cover RHC specific topics such as TennCare Updates, Emergency Preparedness, Compliance (Survey Tips and Strategies), Social Determinants of Health (data collection, coding and reporting), Quality Improvement projects, and more!

Location: The View at the Fountains, Murfreesboro, TN
Time: 8:30am - 4:15pm CST
Cost: Free for RHC Network Members/$50 for Non-Members.

The Healthy Smiles Student Loan Repayment Program provides educational loan repayment to qualified dentists, hygienists, and dental assistants in exchange for a service obligation to practice full-time at dental clinics located in medically underserved areas. 

• Dentists receive up to $300,000 for a 3-year service obligation
  
• Hygienists receive up to $50,000 for a 2-year service obligation
  
• Dental assistants receive up to $20,000 for a 2-year service obligation

 Practitioner Eligibility Requirements: 

• Must be a United States citizen or permanent resident. 
  
• Must be licensed to practice in Tennessee (dentists/hygienists). 
  
• Must agree to use the Tennessee Dental Repayment Incentive Program funds only to repay qualifying educational loans. 
  
• Must have no obligation for health professional services and have not breached a health professional contract. 
  
• Must agree to pay damages for breach of service. 
  
• Must not have a judgment lien against his/her property for a debt to the United States, any federal debt written off as non-collectible, or any federal service or payment obligation waived. 
  
• Must be willing to commit to a service agreement contract for a minimum of three (3) years for dentists, and two (2) years for hygienists and assistants. 
  
• Must provide services in a rural or medically underserved area of Tennessee.
  
• Must work full-time. 

The Tennessee Department of Health is issuing an urgent alert regarding a recent surge in measles cases, both domestically and globally, necessitating heightened awareness and proactive measures. Regrettably, many instances of measles infections have gone undetected within healthcare and community settings, resulting in prolonged exposure periods and sustained disease transmission. It is imperative for clinicians to promptly identify suspected cases of measles, institute isolation protocols swiftly, and notify public health authorities by reporting any suspected cases to the Tennessee Department of Health at 615-741-7247.

Moreover, the Tennessee Department of Health offers measles testing services, available upon prior consultation and approval from the Vaccine Preventable Diseases team. Attached resources include the Tennessee Health Alert Network (TNHAN) measles notification, Project Firstline AAP's Think Measles Info Sheet, and the recent CDC Health Advisory on measles. TNHAN Members are reminded to keep their contact profile information updated to ensure effective communication channels. This collaborative effort aims to curb the spread of measles and safeguard public health within Tennessee and beyond. An Archive of TNHAN notifications sent to licensed medical professionals can be found, here.

Please join us for our next Lunch and Learn Session on Wednesday, March 27 at 12pm CST/1pm EST where we will introduce a new RHC benchmarking program supported by the Rural Health Association of Tennessee/RHC Network. This is now available to all network members at no cost. We hope this program not only provides you with valuable data about your RHCs but also helps to demonstrate the impact the network will have in the upcoming years.

Please join for a review of the web-based system and a discussion of next steps for how to access the tools and interpretation support. For more information about the program click here. To access this event email Christin McWhorter, RHC Network Director, at [email protected]. 

Join us February 28th, 2024 at 12:00 PM CST, for our monthly Rural Health Clinic lunch and learn webinar. This month's guest will be Kia Weaver, Outreach Specialist, with Kepro. 

Kepro is the Beneficiary and Family Centered Care Quality Improvement Organization (BFCC-QIO) for the 29 states. Beneficiaries and families can call Kepro to talk about healthcare-related questions such as whether they are ready for discharge from a hospital, rehabilitation facility, home health agency, or hospice.

If you missed the October 20th webinar with Mark Webb, Principal, you can access the presentation through our Resource Center under RHC Network on our website here. 

Mark Webb, Principal, with the Facilities and Construction team at Vizient works to educate members about the solutions and value opportunities available to members in the capital and construction areas. As a former member in the C-Suite, he has extensive experience in hospital administration and operations, along with 25+ years in civic, aviation and hospital construction.

Be There 

Reducing Stigma and Encouraging Recovery

The Tennessee Rural Community Opioid Response Program (TN-RCORP) Consortium, a program of Rural Health Association of Tennessee (RHA), is announcing their new "Be There" initiative.

With the goal of reducing stigma and encouraging support, the campaign aims to bring awareness to the benefits of being there for those battling behavioral health issues including substance use disorder (SUD) and opioid use disorder (OUD).

Rural Health Association of Tennessee (RHA) is proud to announce it has been awarded a sub-contract from Findhelp as part of TennCare's Health Starts Initiative.

Findhelp is a technology company that connects individuals needing social care services with community providers in an efficient and easy-to-navigate Closed-Loop Referral System (CLRS), while protecting privacy. They will provide the technology that allows TennCare to assess non-medical risk factors of individuals in need through a unified approach and refer them to community-based organizations that can meet their needs, while tracking outcomes.