HJAR Sep/Oct 2021

44 SEP / OCT 2021 I  HEALTHCARE JOURNAL OF ARKANSAS RURAL HEALTH COLUMN RURAL HEALTH Mental Health Education and Support ARHP has collaborated with the UAMS Psychiatric Research Institute to assist with providing primary care clinics in South Arkansas with mental health medi- cation management information services, which include a Monday through Friday (8 a.m.-5 p.m.) on-call pharmacist to answer medication-related questions, live and on- demand presentations for primary health- care providers that include identifying and treating common mental health disorders, and a customized webpage for users to ac- cess pre- and post-testing materials. ARHP is currently working with UAMS PRI to provide education and support to hospital emergency departments and promotion of AR-Connect, a 24-hour hotline for mental and behavioral health crisis. Distance Learning Education and Certification ARHP currently provides staff and health- care provider education and certification opportunities in partnership with UAMS In- stitute for Digital Health & Innovation utiliz- ing their LearnOnDemand.org platform. This year, ARHP member hospitals, clinics and FQHCS will onboard onto the UAMS sys- tem for orientation and compliance training as well as continuing education opportu- nities at no cost to participating organiza- tions. This program will provide support for 16 healthcare organizations and 4,400 healthcare providers and workers across the Arkansas Delta region. Estimated cost savings valued at $100,000 a year. On-Site Simulation Training and Certification ARHP’s mobile simulation van travels throughout the SouthArkansas andArkan- sas Delta regions providing on-site simula- tion training and certification to healthcare providers in 18 participating hospitals. This training allows healthcare providers to prac- tice life-saving techniques and practice in real time with highly trained instructors from UAMS Center for Simulation Edu- cation. These trainings have included OB, pediatric and adult trauma training as well as stroke, coding, sepsis and other training identified as a need by participating hospi- tals. Over the past five years, this program has trained approximately 1,700 health- care providers for a cost saving of over $1.7 million. More Arkansas Rural Health Partnership Program Initiatives Rural hospitals in South Arkansas are at risk of closure, just like so many others across the country. While hospital administrators and policy makers scramble to find quick but lasting solutions, the health of rural Americans is in jeopardy. It is critical that solutions are found that meet the two-fold need: 1) provide quality healthcare services to improve the health of rural residents, and 2) offer a viable financial lifeline to struggling rural hospitals. Arkansas Rural Health Partnerships initiatives and programs offer a direct response, and perhaps solution, to both of these immediate needs. By providing assistance to its members through communication and planning platforms, service lines for reducing costs and creating revenue, recruitment initiatives, and staff education, ARHP creates cost saving and profit generating services and programs that are owned by its members. HEALTHCARE PROVIDER TRAINING, EDUCATION AND SUPPORT SERVICES