The Rural Partnership will continue working to enhance statewide collaboration on workforce planning to better serve rural and underserved communities and health providers in Tennessee by assisting in the recruitment, placement and retention of physicians, physician assistants, advanced practice nurses and other health professionals.

Cindy Siler, CEO, attended the 21st Annual Rural Health Policy Institute, which provided the opportunity to meet with key congressional members, members of the Obama Administration, and national health care experts, including Dr. Mary Wakefield (Administrator, HRSA) and Jonathan Blum (Director of CMS Center for Medicare Management).

In October 2009, Reid B. Blackwelder, M.D., FAAFP, a family physician in Kingsport, Tennessee (far right in photo), was appointed by the AAFP Congress of Delegates to the board of directors of the American Academy of Family Physicians, which represents more than 94,600 physicians and medical students nationwide. He will serve a three-year term, during which he will advocate on behalf of family physicians and patients nationwide to inspire positive change in the U.S. health care system. He also serves as residency program director of East Tennessee State University Family Physicians of Kingsport and as professor of family medicine at ETSU Quillen College of Medicine.

Dr. Blackwelder is a 29-year member of the AAFP and a 17-year member of TAFP, where he has served as president. During his time with these organizations, he has served on and chaired numerous committees and commissions whose work has focused on continuing professional development and education. He also was a delegate to the AAFP Congress of Delegates and a 2008 recipient of AAFP’s Exemplary Teacher of the Year Award and TAFP’s prestigious John S. Derryberry Distinguished Service Award.
You can read the whole story on AAFP’s website by clicking the following link: http://www.aafp.org/online/en/home/aboutus/governance/officersetc/directors/reidblackwelder.html

At The Rural Partnership, we congratulate Dr. Blackwelder on receiving this honorable recognition.

TRP’s CEO, Cindy Siler, attended HRSA’s Summit on the Future of Primary Care in Rural and Urban America August 10-12 in Washington DC.  The meeting brought together our nation’s health care leaders to exchange ideas in addressing current and predicted issues on primary care provider workforce.

Primary care providers play essential roles in our health care system by supporting prevention and wellness efforts, coordinating continuity of patient care, and managing chronic.

Cindy Siler is pictured with William Corr, deputy secretary for the Department of Health and Human Services.

On September 24, more than 70 attendees, from 32 states and Australia, at the National Rural Recruitment and Retention Network’s (3RNet) 14th annual conference in Albuquerque contemplated the depth of those words from Jerry Harrison, Ph.D., executive director of New Mexico Health Resources (NMHR).  Harrison leads New Mexico’s healthcare provider recruitment and retention efforts.  NMHR placed 69 physicians, dentists, and clinicians during fiscal year 2009. 

Panelists Norma Martins from First Choice Community Healthcare, Daniece Richins from Hidalgo Medical Services, Dorothy Romo from Presbyterian Medical Services, and Tomasa Shanhbag from La Clinica de Familia, Inc. echoed, “First to contact…first to contract,” when describing their recruitment strategies and involvment with NMHR and 3RNet.

“Working with 3RNet, NMHR refers more than sixty percent of the candidates I review in my recruitment process,” said Richins. 

Attendees also received a federal policy and legislative update from Paul Moore, D. Ph., immediate past president of National Rural Health Association, and an immigration law update from Robert Aronson, J.D., Aronson & Associates, P.A.

Other speakers inlcuded Paul McGinnis, MPA, Oregon Health and Science University; Melissa Manlove, First Choice Community Healthcare; Frank Crespin, M.D., MPH, La Clinica de Familia; Karen Vaillant, M.D., Eastern New Mexico Family Medicine Residency Program; Alfredo Vigil, M.D., Secretary, New Mexico Department of Health; and Gale Kreibich, director of service excellence at Gunderson Lutheran Health System.

“The 14th Annual 3RNet conference was evaluated by members as being one of the best meetings yet.  The content enables 3RNet members to return to their states and be more effective in assisting their healthcare facilities in the recruitention of medical professionals,” said Tim Skinner, executive director of 3RNet.

3RNet members are not-for-profit organizations helping health professionals find jobs in rural and underserved areas throughout the country.  Members include organizations such as State Offices of Rural Health, AHECs, Cooperative Agreement Agencies, and State Primary Care Associations.

Jackie Cavnar and Susan Kronk attended the 2009 Family Medicine Residents and Students National Conference, sponsored by the American Academy of Family Physicians, in Kansas City, Missouri. Residents and faculty attended from East Tennessee State University (ETSU) division of family medicine, and the University of Tennessee (UT) departments of family medicine from Chattanooga (Erlanger), Jackson, Knoxville, and Memphis (St. Francis) to promote their residency programs to medical students from across the United States. Twelve medical students from Meharry Medical College attended. Additionally, Dr. Lee Carter and Cathy Dyer from the Tennessee chapter of the Academy of Family Physicians (TAFP) exhibited at the conference.

3RNet, the National Rural Recruitment and Retention Network, was present at the conference with members from Illinois, Michigan, North Carolina, Washington, Wisconsin, and more. 3RNet members are not-for-profit organizations helping health professionals find jobs in rural and underserved areas throughout the country.

On Friday night Dr. Carter and Ms. Dyer hosted a dessert reception at the Hilton for everyone in attendance from Tennessee. Dr. Reid Blackwelder from ETSU, Dr. Brent Hatcher, UT-Jackson resident, and Gavin Pinkston, a UT medical student each spoke briefly. Each attendee received a “Tar Wars” t-shirt from TAFP.

The 2009 National Conference Exposition Hall was an excellent networking opportunity for all in attendance. Residents and students visited with 420 exhibiting companies (including 300 residency programs). 2009 Attendance Figures: 697 - medical students, 209 - residents, and 769 - residents registered as exhibit personnel.

The Rural Partnership has established a presence in Tennessee that gains more value and meaning for Tennessee medical residents every day. Some do not yet realize what we can do for them, and others do. But those who do have come to trust us for what we can offer and the great things we do for rural and underserved communities in Tennessee.

On July 16, 2009, a group from Family Medicine Associates of Kingsport toured Hawkins Medical Center, a Rural Health Services Consortium clinic in Rogersville.  Joyce Simon and Dr. Jose Velasco treated the group to a virtual tour of the community during a slide presentation that included information about sites belonging to the Consortium.

The trip continued down Highways 11W and 25E to Baptist Hospital of Cocke County and Rural Medical Services (RMS).  Dr. Deana Brotherton, Medical Director of RMS, and Larry Stanifer, CEO of RMS, presented a discussion about the benefits of working for RMS.  The clinic is located across the street from the hospital, which makes it easier for Dr. Brotherton to see patients at the clinic and to go to the hospital for any obstetric procedures that arise.

Residents toured the Rural Medical Services clinic in Parrottsville with Dr. Pamela Sanders and listened to a presentation on the clinic’s migrant outreach program.  The program serves the Spanish speaking populations in Cocke, Grainger, Greene, Hamblen, Jefferson and Sevier counties in Tennessee.

The resident group from Family Medical Associates of Johnson City traveled to Sevierville to see the new LeConte Medical Center, which is currently under contruction.  Heather Webb, Medical Staff Services Director, met the group and issued each person a hard hat.  Ellen Wilhoit, Chief Administrative Officer, and Wayne Spence, the construction supervisor from Rechenbach, gave the residents one of the first walking tours of the new facility.  They discussed expanded services, additional equipment and potential growth for the hospital.  Following the tour, the residents attended the medical faculty meeting and discussed details for future rotations with Drs. Donald Parnell, James Koerten, Julio Guerra and William Fry.  Mary Vance, director of Mountain Hope Clinic, spoke to the group and addressed potential opportunities for collaboration.

The Rural Partnership’s chief executive officer, Cindy Siler, and chief operating officer, Jackie Cavnar, traveled with the residents and discussed The Rural Partnership’s mission to place physicians in rural and underserved communities in Tennessee.

The Tennessee Primary Care Association and Community Health Network are teaming up with UnitedHealth Group/ AmeriChoice to showcase telehealth technology across the state. AmeriChoice has a mobile telehealth unit that they will be bringing to three sites in Tennessee and demonstrating the technology. State Commissioners, local officials, state and federal elected officials have all been invited in addition to the media.

At the same time, the three organizations have joined forces to improve access to integrated primary care and behavioral health care as well as specialty care throughout the state. They have partnered to promote access to community based care in rural areas, build a network of behavioral health care specialists, increase access to specialty care, research funding opportunities for integrated care, and provide training to community health center staff. The Association is very excited about this partnership and is looking forward to working with AmeriChoice, starting with the arrival of the mobile unit.

EVENT HIGHLIGHTS

• Tour the Telehealth Mobile Clinic Unit
• Experience virtual simulations and capabilities of Telehealth
• Hear Key Speakers deliver vital Telehealth information
• Join discussions on the benefits of Telehealth with health care providers,
local politicians, key leaders and community partners

EVENT DATES & TIMES

July 29, 2009, 11:00-2:00 pm, Cherokee Health Systems
2018 Western Avenue, Knoxville, TN 37921

July 30, 2009, 11:00-2:00 pm, Meharry Medical College
1005 Dr. D.B. Todd Jr. Blvd, Nashville, TN 37208

July 31, 2009, 11:00-2:00 pm, Memphis Health Center
360 E.H. Crump Blvd, Memphis TN 38126