MINUTES

 

                                                WVRHEP RECRUITMENT & RETENTION

COMMITTEE MEETING

 

March 13, 2006, Days Inn, Flatwoods

 

Attending: David Brown, Patricia Crawford, Deborah Curry, Tom Hefner, Lew Holloway, Sharon Lansdale, Sandra Y. Pope, Jo Ann Raines, Anna Reno, Melissa Wheeler, Bob Whitler. Staff: Alicia Tyler.  Absent: Jay Bonfili, Norm Ferrari, Marilyn Fox, Mike Holt, Jane Martin, Jill McDaniel, Jessica Sharp, Phil Schenk, Sonnie Strader, Bob Walker. Guests: Jon Willis, Elizabeth “Betsy” Degges, Shawn G. Balleydier, Nancy C. Melton, Penny Rose Asbury, Dennis McCutcheon, Jodie Jackson, Kathaleen Perkins, Sharon Giles, David Bowyer, Crystal Welch.

 

Tom Hefner, vice chair, opened the meeting with introductions. Minutes of the September 12th  meeting were approved on motion (Reno/Pope).

 

Staff Report

 

Alicia reported the following:

 

- Duane Napier, the new Executive Director of the WV Center for Nursing, has been invited to speak at the September 11th Committee meeting.

- There will be no Committee meeting in June. The next meeting is September 11th.

- Elaine Mason will hold Career Days on April 21st in Morgantown and April 28th in Charleston.

 

Alicia presented highlights from the 2005 Higher Education Report Card -- Health Sciences & Rural Health Education Partnerships:

- Almost 39% of recent medical graduates are staying in WV after completing residency. This is better than the national average.

- Retention of graduates who complete residencies in WV is 79% in primary care fields such as family practice;

- State scholarships and loan repayment are important to rural recruitment – 40% of physicians, 45% of nurse practitioners, and 45% of the physician assistants received incentives.

 

Bob Whitler asked if reporting on residency graduates could be improved by adding shortage specialties, not just primary care. He said that Sharon Hall at CAMC could be a resource on this. Also, Melissa Wheeler can provide data on specialties needed by rural sites.

 

Alicia demonstrated the new WV Health Careers website: www.wvhealthcareers.com , which provides information on educational programs, financial aid, employers, and other resources. Patti Crawford asked if links to school websites could be incorporated into the design. Alicia will look into this. Sharon Lansdale suggested that, in addition to announcement cards, posters be created to promote the website.

 

Highlights from Recruitment Research in PERD Report

 

Jodie Jackson reported findings from her office’s 2005 survey of RHEP graduates:

- 58% said the RHEP rotation strengthened their commitment to rural health, and 9% said they would not have gone into rural practice had it not been for RHEP;

- 50% completed training in a rural community where they subsequently worked;

- 40% said they were working in their home town; and

- 58% of physician respondents and 35% of all disciplines had become preceptors or field professors

 

Other research findings:

- The Recruitment & Retention Report verified that 738 RHEP graduates recruited to rural WV since 1991 are currently practicing there. (More have been recruited, but some did not stay.)

- Between 1995 and 2005, 8 whole-county HPSAs lost their shortage designation; and 20 RHEP graduates are practicing in these counties;

Future of Coordinated Placement & Rural Health Leadership Fellowships

 

Sharon Lansdale discussed a national evaluation of the RWJ Southern Rural Access Program.

West Virginia was one of 8 states funded by RWJ Foundation and the Benedum Foundation. The administering agency, the Center for Rural Health Development, is wrapping up its final year of funding. A study conducted by the Sheps Center in North Carolina found that the program had a positive impact on primary care physician growth rates in three states, including West Virginia. The Sheps Center will re-evaluate the program outcomes in 3-year intervals.

 

The Center’s Loan Fund received a $1 million appropriation in September 2005. The Loan Fund has funded construction of new practitioners’ offices, including the only dentist in Webster Co. The demand now is for health information technology. 

 

Round-the-Table Updates

 

- Lew Holloway, Northern WVRHEC: (1) Northern is joining in a proposed three-year program of the Center for National Community Service, which would take CARDIAC from screening to intervention (funding to be announced in June); (2) Continuing medical education and continuing education sessions were held on understanding poverty. Sessions are planned on chronic kidney disease and depression/suicide; (3) an on-line survey was conducted of what health professionals want in continuing education; (4) an IDT was conducted in February in Grafton and another is planned for Lewis Co. in April; and (5) Northern is working with the first WVU Rural Health Scholar and will continue the relationship through residency training.

 

- Bob Whitler: the WVU-affiliated family practice residency at CAMC has received accreditation for a rural residency at Spencer, Roane Co. Residents (two per year) will spend the first year at CAMC and the second and third years at Spencer.

 

- Shawn Balleydier: the first meeting of the 2006 Rural Health Conference planning committee will be held in Flatwoods on March 24th.  The Office of Community Health Systems is combining the Divisions of Rural Health and Recruitment.

 

- Anna Reno: In region 2 of the Northern WVRHEC, the new levels policy has resulted in more student rotations – 68 this year compared to a previous average of 20. In Gilmer County, the first medical student rotation was scheduled, and a new medical preceptor has signed up – Hilary Miller.

 

- Debbie Curry, Southwestern AHEC: (1) Four Rural Fellows have completed their projects, and four new Fellows have been identified; (2) the third IDT was held and a fourth is scheduled for Wyoming Co.; (3) all 12 AHEC residents are practicing in WV and are potential recruits for the fellowship program; (4) five continuing education programs have been scheduled; (5) five mini-camps are scheduled for health careers awareness activities; (6) the summer academy will be held at Concord; and (7) high school health careers clubs have expanded.

 

- Patti Crawford, Southeastern AHEC: (1) One Rural Fellow works at Monroe Health Center and two other Rural Fellows will start there in July;  (2) Four new Fellows will be recruited – two residents and two new physicians; (3) an IDT will be held on cervical cancer; (4) continuing education was conducted with RHEP on geriatric care and medical errors and a seminar is planned on forensic pediatrics; (5) the community college in Lewisburg is working with Pocahontas Co. to set up an LPN program; and (6) the AHEC directors and Sandra Pope will present at the national Rural Health Conference in May.

 

- Sandra Pope: Hilda will make a presentation on veterans’ health care at the Rural Health Conference.

 

- Dave Brown: the incoming class at WVSOM is increasing from 100 to 200.

 

- David Bowyer: the school of pharmacy, University of Charleston, will admit 75 students this fall. Pharmacy students should be considered for financial incentives.

 

- Jo Ann Raines: a decrease is predicted in primary care in the national residency match.

 

The meeting was adjourned.