Each year the National Center develops new applications of the impact model to policy relevant issues and/or develops new applications of health service profitability studies. These applications can be modified to fit other states regardless of geographical or demographical differences and serve as tools for community and state leaders facing rural health related challenges. One page summaries or the full reports are available. ( Click Here )

Through funding made available by the Office of Rural Health, the National Association of County Commissioners (NACo) invited rural counties to apply for financial assistance grants to complete the Community Health Engagement Process. NACo granted assistance to three counties in 2005 and again in 2007. The completed 2007 products are available. ( Click Here )

Several requests have been made for copies of materials and PowerPoint presentations delivered by RHW at conferences and workshops. Several examples are available or additional presentations can be requested by contacting Cheryl St.Clair (cheryl@okstate.edu) or Dr. Gerald A. Doeksen (gad@okstate.edu) ( Click Here )

There are four products associated with the health engagement process. The first is a health services directory that compiles all of the contact information related to health including health providers (physicians, hospital, clinics, etc.) emergency numbers (fire, police, poison control, abuse hotlines, etc.), additional health services (nursing homes, mental health services, pharmacies, etc.) and local government/social services into a quick reference guide that can be distributed to all community residents. The second is the health survey results from a telephone survey soliciting where residents receive their health care services, identifying additional preferred health services and recognizing the positives and negatives of the currently provided local health services. The third is a secondary data and information report that includes economic, health/behavioral, education, traffic and crime data from any and all current relevant sources. The fourth product is an economic impact report measuring the total impact of the health sector which clearly illustrates the economic importance of the local health sector. An example of each product is available. ( Click Here )

The applications developed by RHW have been utilized in several states to measure state and local economic impacts, (e.g. new hospitals, Medicaid, local health sector, etc.) and also to analyze the feasibility of new or existing rural health services such as kidney dialysis centers or nursing facilities. Several of the completed studies are available. ( Click Here )