Improving the Health of the Nation's Underserved TOP |
Slide 1: Maximizing
Efforts to Improve the Health of the Nations Underserved
National Rural Health Association
Teleconference Series
December 15, 2005
Susan Salter
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Health Resources and Services Administration
Bureau of Health Professions
Division of the National Health Service Corps
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Slide 2: The National Health Service Corps
The NHSC is committed to improving the health
of the Nations underserved:
- Uniting communities in need with caring
health professionals
- Supporting communities' efforts to build
better systems of health care
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Slide 3: Recruitment: What the NHSC Does:
The NHSC recruits clinicians dedicated to
serving underserved populations:
- NHSC Recruitment Message -- Are you who
we are looking for? Do you have what it takes?
- Recruitment Tools - Posters, Videos,
Marketing Kits, Direct Mail, Print Ads, Exhibits, and partnerships.
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Slide 4: National Health Service Corps:
Recruitment Programs
- NHSC Scholarship Program
- NHSC Loan Repayment Program (LRP)
- NHSC Ready Responder Program
- NHSC State Loan Repayment Program
- NHSC SEARCH (Student/Resident Experiences
And Rotations in Community Health) Program
- NHSC Campus Based Ambassador Program
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Slide 5: NHSC Scholarship Program
- Scholarships to students who commit to
practicing primary care in Health Professional Shortage
Areas (HPSAs) of greatest need upon completion of education
or training
- Period of service is 2-4 years based
on number of years of scholarship support.
- Students choose their practice site from
a list of approved sites located in areas of greatest need
across the country.
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Slide 6: Scholars Available
- Certified Nurse Midwives
- Dentists
- Family Nurse Practitioners
- Physician Assistants
- Primary Care Physicians (FP, IM, PEDS,
& OB/GYN)
- Psychiatrists
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Slide 7: NHSC Loan Repayment Program: Clinician
Incentive
- Repayment of educational loans for clinicians
who are providing full-time clinical services
- 2-year service commitment with options
for additional years
- Maximum repayment during the required
initial 2-year contract is $50,000
- Clinician obtains employment at eligible/approved
site and then applies for NHSC LRP
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Slide 8: Recruit These Disciplines for
NHSC Loan Repayment
- Primary Care Physicians (FP, IM, PED,
& OB/GYN)
- Primary Care Nurse Practitioners
- Physician Assistants
- Certified Nurse Midwives
- Dentists
- Dental Hygienists
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Slide 9: Recruit These Disciplines for
NHSC Loan Repayment
Mental and Behavioral Health Professionals
- Health Service (Clinical) Psychologists
- Clinical Social Workers
- Licensed Professional Counselors
- Marriage and Family Therapists
- Psychiatric Nurse Practitioners/Specialists
- Psychiatrists
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Slide 10: Sites in the NHSC
- Located in federally designated Health
Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs)
- Frontier, rural and " inner city" urban
settings
- Treat everyone regardless of their ability
to pay
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Slide 11: Site Eligibility-Health Professional
Shortage Area (HPSA)
- Must be located in and providing service
to a federally designated Health Professional Shortage Area
(HPSA)
- HPSAs designated by Shortage Designation
Branch in Bureau of Health Professions
- HPSA Web site http://bhpr.hrsa.gov/shortage/
- Contact State Primary Care Office (PCO)
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Slide 12: Site Eligibility- Health Professional
Shortage Area (HPSA)
- HPSAs can be
- Primary care - shortage of primary
care providers
- Mental health - shortage of mental
health providers
- Dental - shortage of oral health providers
- NHSC clinicians must work in a HPSA appropriate
for their discipline
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Slide 13: Site Eligibility- Health Professional
Shortage Area (HPSA)
- All Federally Qualified Health Centers
(FQHCs) and FQHC Look-Alikes have an Automatic HPSA designation
- Certified Rural Health Clinics eligible
for Automatic HPSA but must apply and meet NHSC Charges
for Services Requirements
- Native American populations and sites
also have Automatic HPSA opportunities
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Slide 14: Site Eligibility- Health Professional
Shortage Area (HPSA)
- HPSA Score - the higher the score, the
greater the need
- NHSC uses HPSA score to determine which
communities have the greatest need
- Other programs also use HPSA designation
as an eligibility criteria
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Slide 15: Site Eligibility- Charges for
Services
- Ensure no financial barriers to care
exist
- Fees for service consistent with prevailing
rates in area
- Discounts or waives fees for individuals
at or below 200% of the Federal poverty level
- Accepts assignments for Medicare beneficiaries;
and enters into agreements with Medicaid and State Children's
Health Insurance programs
- Prominently posts signage
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Slide 16: Site Eligibility-Type of Sites
- Public or private entity
- Community Health Centers
- Rural Health Clinics
- Private practices
- Indian Health Service
- Prisons - State and Federal
- Community Mental Health Centers
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Slide 17: Site Eligibility-Services Provided
- Provide comprehensive primary care, primary
mental health/substance abuse or dental services
- Ambulatory
- Ensure access to ancillary, inpatient
and specialty referrals
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Slide 18: Site Eligibility-Compliance
- Must be in compliance at time of application
- Must agree to maintain compliance throughout
term of NHSC clinician's service commitment
- Requirements pertain to entire site,
not just NHSC clinician
- Each location must apply and be approved
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Slide 19: Site Eligibility-Priority for
Funding
- High Need Areas Receive Priority for
NHSC Scholars and Priority for the NHSC Loan Repayment Program
- Need Determined by HPSA Score
- Higher the Score, Higher the Need
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Slide 20: List of Eligible Service Sites
for NHSC Scholars
- Year of service for each year of scholarship
support, with 2 year minimum
- NHSC Scholars must serve in HPSAs of
greatest need
- List of eligible Scholar sites must be
at least one site for each Scholar in placement cycle, but
NOT MORE THAN 2 sites on the list for each Scholar in the
placement cycle
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Slide 21: List of Eligible Service Sites
for NHSC Scholars
FY
2006 -
- Primary Care Physicians - Primary Care
HPSA Score 14 and above
- Physician Assistants/Nurse Practitioners
- Primary Care HPSA Score 13 above
- Certified Nurse Midwives - Primary Care
HPSA Score 8 and above
- Dentists - Dental HPSA Score 20 and above
- Psychiatrists - Mental Health HPSA 20
and above
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Slide 22: List of Eligible Service Sites
for NHSC Scholars
Maximum
number of new scholars per site
- Primary Care Physicians - up to 2
- Physician Assistants, Family Nurse Practitioners,
Certified Nurse Midwives - up to a total of 2
- Psychiatrists - no more than 1
- Dentists - no more than 1
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Slide 23: Sites Eligible for NHSC Loan
Repayment Program (LRP)
- All approved sites in HPSAs eligible
for LRP
- Sites in a HPSA with a score of 14 or
higher receive priority (funded first and early - as soon
as clinician application determined to be complete and eligible)
- Sites in a HPSA with a score of 13 or
below will be funded after deadline (last Friday in March)
by decreasing HPSA score, as funds are available
- FYs 2003, 2004 & 2005 - all eligible
and complete LRP applications funded, even those with unscored
auto HPSAs
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Slide 24: Sites Eligible for NHSC Loan
Repayment Program (LRP)
Maximum
number of new LRP awards per site:
- Primary Care Physicians - Up to 2
- Psychiatrists - Up to 2
- Other Mental & Behavioral Health - Up
to 2
- Dentists - Up to 2
- Dental Hygienists - Up to 2
- Physician Assistants, Primary Care Nurse
Practitioners, Certified Nurse Midwives - Up to a total
of 2
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Slide 25: Site Eligibility-Hiring NHSC
Clinicians
When hiring NHSC Clinicians, sites agree:
- Full-time clinical
- No reduction in salary because of NHSC
- Communicate changes in employment
- Only allow practice at approved site(s)
- Make available personnel/practice records
- Not restrict communication between clinician
and NHSC
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Slide 26: How Do NHSC Clinicians Find Sites?
NHSC extensive National Recruitment efforts
result in thousands of calls to NHSC Call Center and visits
to our Web site
Sites can increase their chances of
recruiting one of these dedicated clinicians by posting accurate
vacancies and strong site profiles on the NHSC Opportunities
List
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Slide 27: What Can You Do to Maximize Your
Opportunities with the NHSC?
- Apply to NHSC to be included on the NHSC
Opportunity List
- Market your site
- Recruit potential loan repayors
- If eligible, recruit scholars
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Slide 28: Apply to be included on the NHSC
Opportunities List
- R & R Application available at http://nhsc.bhpr.hrsa.gov
- Submit an R & R application for all sites
- Keep your vacancies current & notify
the NHSC if there are any changes
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Slide 29: NHSC Opportunities List
http://nhsc.bhpr.hrsa.gov
- All open or unfilled vacancies will be
listed on the NHSC Web site. Changes/updates can be made
by phone or email.
- Your vacancy on the Opportunity List
can be linked to your site profile and community Web sites
to assist in marketing your site.
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Slide 30: NHSC
Opportunities List
http://nhsc.bhpr.hrsa.gov
- Once approved, sites can post vacancies
on the NHSC On-line Job Opportunities list as needs arise
- Site approvals are good for 3 years or
until HPSA changes or site is out of compliance
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Slide 31: Market Your Site
- Develop an engaging NHSC site profile
- Develop your own Web site
- Work with PCA, PCO and State Office of
Rural Health
- Target groups for direct marketing
- NHSC Site Tool Kit
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Slide 32: NHSC & Site: A Dual Responsibility
Remember,
NHSC clinicians:
- May only serve in an approved site (s)
- Must be in full-time clinical practice
- 40 hours per week/32 of the required
40 hours must be spent providing clinical services in
the ambulatory site
- Must have employment verification form
completed every 6 months
If you have questions or a need for
changes, please
call: 1-800-221-9393
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Slide 33: NHSC Ready Responders
- Commissioned Officers in the U.S. Public
Health Service
- Serve in underserved communities with
the greatest needs
- Tour of duty- up to 3 years
- Respond to regional and national medical
emergencies
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Slide 34: NHSC State Loan Repayment Program
- NHSC grants funds directly to States
to operate their own loan repayment programs.
- Primary care health professionals who
are providing full-time clinical services in a facility
located in a HPSA are eligible.
- Eligibility requirements and benefits
vary from state to state.
- Visit NHSC Web site for contact information
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Slide 35: On Campus Ambassador Program
- The Campus Based NHSC Ambassador Program
assists the NHSC in developing the next generation of primary
care clinicians dedicated to serving the underserved.
- NHSC Ambassadors identify and prepare
students and NHSC Scholars for service to underserved populations.
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Slide 36: Student/Resident Experiences
and Rotations in Community Health Program (SEARCH)
Student
opportunities to work with underserved communities by:
- Establishing preventative health programs
- Assisting clinicians in their practices
- Working with local health departments
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Slide 37: NHSC Assistance to Communities
In
addition to the programs the NHSC offers to students and clinicians,
the NHSC works with communities to recruit and retain primary
care clinicians by:
- Providing technical assistance to become
an NHSC Site.
- Developing academic and community partnerships
for student experiences and rotations in underserved areas.
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Slide 38: Technical Assistance
- Site development
- Planning and development; type of services
- Development of fee schedules; practice
management
- Retain NHSC clinicians
- Recruitment of NHSC clinicians
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Slide 39: To Learn More
For
more information on NHSC and its programs:
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