Health ProfessionsWorkforce

AHEC as a national resourceNational Scope by the NAO:

Donald E. Proulx, Associate Director

University of Arizona AHEC Program

Tucson, Arizona

Sample AHEC Activities:

Sean Clendaniel, Center Director

Northern Arizona AHEC/ North Country HealthCare, Flagstaff, Arizona

Presentation Objectives and Outline

Overview of AHEC Nationally

Look at types of health careers workforce development programs offered by AHECs

Describe how AHECs support health professions students in community-based training

Describe how AHECs assist in recruiting and retaining health professionals to practice in rural and urban medically underserved communities

Look at an Arizona Regional Center

What does it mean for hospitals?

Area Health Education Centers the federal AHEC program was

initiated in 1972 after passage of the Comprehensive Health Manpower Training Act of 1971

nationally AHECs have coordinated and supported training for nearly 1.5 million health professions students and primary care residents in underserved and rural areas

AHEC NATIONAL NETWORK

www.nationalahec.org

Federal AHEC Missionto improve the supply and distribution of

health care professionals, with an

emphasis on primary care, through

community and academic educational

partnerships to increase access to health

care in rural areas by forming linkages

between health care delivery systems in

rural and urban medically underserved

communities and educational resources.

non-partisan and work with state, federal, and private institutions.

focus on the entire range of health professions.

have the cooperation of many agencies and individuals who share a common mission.

address the issues of education, recruitment, and retention of health professionals in underserved areas.

AHECs are unique agencies

1. Develop health career programs in medically underserved rural and urban areas to increase health professionals who represent diverse and disadvantaged people.

FOUR AHEC PROGRAM GOALS

2. Support clinical community-based multi- and inter-disciplinary training of primary care students and residents in health professional shortage areas (HPSAs) and medically underserved communities (MUCs)

FOUR AHEC PROGRAM GOALS

3. Provide current clinical updates and continuing professional education for health care providers in HPSAs and MUCs to reduce their isolation, to nurture their retention, and to enhance their practice environments.

FOUR AHEC PROGRAM GOALS

4. Promote improved health literacy, health promotion and disease prevention for increased access to quality and culturally appropriate care in uniquely different neighborhoods of medically underserved and diverse populations.

FOUR AHEC PROGRAM GOALS

AHECCENTERS

COMMUNITIESHOSPITALS

PRACTITIONERSSCHOOLS

PUBLIC HEALTHCLINICS/HEALTH CENTERS

ADVOCACY GROUPS

ACADEMICHEALTH

CENTERS

AHEC Linkages

LINKAGES

“Grow Our Own” Health Professionals

Studies indicate that "early intervention" programs significantly affect a student's choice in a health career.

Health professions students and residents initially take jobs and serve where they were trained.

Growing Community Health Professionals

Nationally (2007), AHEC programs supported the training of nearly 122,000 students.

80% were in primary care disciplines and in health professions that support primary care.

20% were in assistant, technician or technologist disciplines.

Over 47,000 health professions students received training in rural and urban medically underserved community-based sites.

42% were medical students or residents. 29% were nursing or physician assistant students. 29% were allied health students.

National AHEC Organization

The NAO is the national organization that supports and advances the Area Health Education Center (AHEC) network in improving the health of individuals and communities by transforming health care through education.

www.nationalahec.org

National AHEC Network109 VIP Drive, Suite 220

Wexford, Pennsylvania 15090

1-724-935-1560 fax

1-888-412-7424 voice

info@nationalahec.org

Arizona AHEC Program Service Regions

SEAHECSEAHEC

GVAHECGVAHEC

WAHECWAHEC

NAHECNAHEC

EAHECEAHEC

Program OfficeProgram OfficeTucsonTucson

(The University(The Universityof Arizona)of Arizona)

Mohave

La Paz

Navajo

Yuma

Coconino

Apache

Cochise

Pinal

Pima

Santa Cruz

Gila

Graham

Greenlee

Yavapai

Maricopa

connecting students to careers Arizona’s five regional AHECs use a variety

of venues including classroom presentations, career clubs and HOSA school sponsorships, local mentoring, and summer enrichment programs to nurture the interests of community students in health careers. The AHEC ‘value-added’ approach to all of these activities is to use minority and rural health professions students and practitioners as presenters, mentors, and role models.

connecting students to careers In Arizona this year (FY 2008) 10,854 students ranging from fifth

grade through college were introduced to health careers through AHEC programs

649 high school students completed health career or academic enhancement programs of 20 hours or more through the regional AHECs

These programs were successful in targeting minorities and disadvantaged students; 89% represented minority and socioeconomically disadvantaged, rural and urban medically underserved communities, including tribal villages and Mexican border neighborhoods

connecting professionals to communities

In Arizona, the regional AHECs supported health professional training in 64 rural, tribal, border, medically underserved sites. 91% of these sites were in community health centers or other federal safety net sites. Twelve (12) were rural hospital sites.

87 community preceptors supported 509 student clinical community-based rotations; the majority (70%) of these preceptors were primary care physicians, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants.

connecting communities to better healthThe Arizona AHECs and some community colleges serving rural regions of the state provide community-based training and entry-level college basic certificate education for Community Health Workers of all types serving in all settings who assist citizens with access to quality, culturally appropriate, and continuity of care.

Community Health Workers serve in neighborhood outreach programs through community health centers, rural and urban HPSA practice sites, FQHC sites, National Health Service Corps sites, rural hospitals, and local health departments.

connecting communities to better health

Arizona’s AHECs supported 89 health professions continuing education programs covering more than 50 wide-ranging topics reaching 4,304 participants in more than 15 health professions disciplines.

This represents about 22,400 contact hours of continuing professional education.

The Arizona centers also supported community health promotion and health literacy events reaching 19,277people in resource-poor medically underserved neighborhoods.

NAHECNorthern Arizona Area

Health Education Center

Service

Area

Environmental Scan of N. AZ

•~48,000 sq. miles– its big!•Diverse population•Remote area w/ few cities and regional centers– think frontier•Law of small numbers a significant challenge for health professions training and medical care•HPSA scores very high throughout, plus MUA/ MUP areas everywhere•Huge health disparities

NAHEC Relationship to

North Country HealthCare began as a free clinic. In 1996 it transitioned to become a Federally Qualified

Community Health Center (FQCHC). At this time NAHEC and North Country merged.

NAHEC Learning Center

NAHEC is all

about…

Students

Health Professionals

Improving Community

Health

The following slides are a small glimpse

into a few of our regional and community

specific programs

Regional Programs

Outreach

HOSA

HOSA is a student organization whose mission is to promote career opportunities in health care and to enhance the delivery of quality health care to all people.

Future Health LeadersSummer Programs

MyHealthCareer.net

We have created a place online where students and professionals can join together by means

of internet based communications and shared experience.

The goal is to encourage and support students as they enter their chosen heath career.

We have a multitude of statewide and national partners actively involved in the development and use of this

Health Professions

Training

Northern Arizona Allied Health Initiative

To increase the supply and distribution of

certificated, licensed and/or degreed allied health workforce in Northern Arizona.

Founding Partners:

NAHEC and

Yavapai College

Capacity Building and TrainingCapacity Building and Training “Roadmap” “Roadmap”

Advisory Board

Marketing/ Recruitment

Training Programs

Applied Experiences

Articulated Programs

Continuing Education

Function

Career Fairs

Summer workshops

Developmental Education Partners

Yavapai College

Northern Arizona Area Health Education Center

Northern Arizona Vocational Institute of Technology

Humboldt Unified School District

Coconino Association for Vocational, Industrial, and Technology School

Coconino County One-Stop Center and Investment Act Office

Northern Arizona Council of Governments

Veterans Upward Bound

Function

Practicums

Externships

Internships

Clinical Rotations

Function

Community + College (2+2)

High School + Community College + University (2+2+2)

Community College to Community College

Function

Contract Training

Workshops

Conferences

Seminars

Mini-Med School

Non-credit courses

Community Health Education

Function

Medical Assistant

Respiratory Therapy

Medical Radiography

Pharmacy Technician

Retention programs

Future ProgramsPartners

Yavapai College

Northern Arizona Area Health Education Center

Gateway Community College

Future Partners

Partners

Yavapai College

Northern Arizona Area Health Education center

North Country Community Health Center

Mountain Valley Rehabilitation Hospital

Yavapai Regional Medicar Center

Verde Valley Medical Center

Bradshaw Mountain Labs

Future Partners

Partners

Yavapai College

Gateway Community College

Northern Arizona University

Arizona State University

Future partners

Partners

Yavapai College

Northern Arizona Area Health Education Center

University of Arizona Tele-health

Greater Flagstaff Economic Council

Future partners

This new medical school is using an innovative curriculum to train physicians, especially those who wish to remain in medically-underserved communities. Students spend the first year at the Mesa campus. Students will permanently relocate to NAHEC for years two, three, and four to complete the remainder of their training. The first cohort of 10 second year students will arrive in September of 2008. Beginning in 2010, NAHEC will host 30 students in total, plus faculty members.

CE/CME

N. AZ NP Group and Healthy Family Conference

TelehealthCompletion date of September, 2008

Community specific

Programs

CHINLE, AZ

Iina CoalitionThe Iina Coalition, Inc.., a private, nonprofit organization located in Chinle,

Arizona, serves a population of over 31,000 people in the central region of the Navajo Nation. The Coalition coordinates planning, programs, and services to

promote health and wellness.

Mission statement

“THROUGH T’AA NIHI ANIIT’EEGO (EMPOWERMENT) IINA COALITION WILL FOSTER PARTNERSHIP OF COMMUNITY RESOURCES BY

CREATING A PATH FOR MENTAL, PHYSICAL, SOCIAL AND SPIRITUAL WELLNESS WITHIN A SAFE ENVIRONMENT FOR CENTRAL DINE

COMMUNITIES.

VIHSTAVisionary

Interprofessional

Health

Sciences

Training

in Arizona

Health

Professions

Communities Universities

VIHSTA is a collaborative training program between NAU, U of AZ, NAHEC and SEAHEC and rural or underserved communities to provide training for health sciences students so that they will be competent to serve Arizona’s diverse population and to collaborate with other professionals and community members to promote community health.

Kayenta, AZ

Adventures Into Medicine

Flagstaff, AZ

CAVIAT Joint Technical District

Coconino County Career Center

Health Professions Workforce Development

Hopi, AZ

Indigenous Pride

Health Workers

Hopi Substance Abuse Prevention

Center

Growing Our Own Health Professionals

and Creating Healthier

Communities

Contact Us

Arizona AHEC Program

The University of Arizona

1834 E. Mabel Street

Tucson, AZ 85721

520-626-4026

dproulx@email.arizona.edu

Northern Arizona AHEC/ North Country HealthCare

2920 N. 4th Street

Flagstaff, AZ 86004

928-779-7245

sclendaniel@northcountryhealthcare.org