Rural Reporter
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Gov. Evers Creates Health Equity Council
Governor Tony Evers has announced the creation of a council aimed at reducing and eliminating health disparities across the state. The health equity council will address health disparities across all kinds of demographics: race, economic status, education level, history of incarceration, and geography. Individuals interested in serving on the Health Equity Council should submit a cover letter and resume to govappointments@wisconsin.gov by April 30th, 2019.
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HHS Issues Removal of Regulatory Barrier For Community Paramedicine
Officials at the Department of Health and Human Services have recommended the removal of a regulatory barrier to the implementation of community paramedicine programs. According to the new advisory opinion, EMS agencies now have more flexibility in implementing programs without fear of remuneration under anti-kickback statutes. In an explanation of new policy, the Journal of Emergency Medical Services writes that this is encouraging news for EMS collaborations with hospitals, payers, and other stakeholders. (Photo: Remi Walle on Unsplash)
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What Goes On Inside a Critical Access Hospital?
What are the challenges that small, rural hospitals face, and what is it like to work in one? Rural Health Leadership Radio spoke to Mark Zellmer, lead hospitalist and emergency room provider at a small Critical Access Hospital in Whitehall. It's one hospital that's part of the Gundersen Tri-County Hospital and Clinics in rural western Wisconsin.
Zellmer is the founding director of rural-oriented physician assistant programs at the University of South Dakota and the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse. He holds a Ph.D. in Public Health.
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Private Practitioners Push Back on Dental Therapy Bill
For some in rural Wisconsin, getting access to dental care can be tough. Much of the state faces a shortage of providers, especially in rural areas. One of several proposals to increase funding for dental care that is included in Governor Evers' budget is the establishment of a dental therapy program in the state, which would establish dental therapists as mid-level providers that would perform routine dental services to patients. A bill under current consideration in the legislature would allow dental therapists to work in the state legally. But the establishment of dental therapy is not popular with industry groups. It's also not popular with rural dentists, according to reporting from WJFW News 12. (Photo: Nhia Moua on Unsplash)
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2019 County Health Rankings Released
Ozaukee County ranks as the healthiest county in Wisconsin and Menominee County as the least healthy, according to a new ranking and report released Tuesday morning. The annual County Health Rankings and Roadmaps is the result of a collaboration between the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute, and it ranks all 72 Wisconsin counties on a variety of data-informed health factors and outcomes. This year's report goes into significant depth on the role stable and affordable housing plays in health.
