Your Voice Is Needed in 2009

With a new Congress and Administration coming to Washington, D.C., 2009 will be a time of change for rural health care. As always, advocacy will be essential to ensure the 62 million Americans who call rural home have access to affordable, quality health care.   
According to NRHA Government Affairs Manager Tim Fry, one of the quickest, easiest and most effective ways to advocate for rural health care at the congressional level is by making a phone call. Here are a few key points to remember:

• Speak or leave a message directly with the health staffer, not the receptionist.
• Introduce yourself and your facility.
• Keep it simple. Ask for one thing and give brief information why it is important.
• Leave a short message.
• Provide your key contact information.
• Follow up by e-mail with additional information. This can be a powerful way to get both your e-mail and phone call attention.

More information on rural health advocacy is available at www.RuralHealthWeb.org.

Californian congrats
Congratulations to Amy Ham, program specialist from the California Telemedicine and eHealth Center in Sacramento, Calif., who has been selected for the 2009 class of the NRHA’s Rural Health Fellows Program. After the completion of a competitive review process, 12 fellows from across the United States were selected to participate in this year-long, intensive program aimed at developing leaders who can articulate a clear and compelling vision for rural America.
“We are very pleased to announce this new class of fellows as this program enters its third year. We look forward to continuing the tradition of building rural health care leaders through this valuable program,” says Alan Morgan, NRHA CEO.

Article posted on 1/6/08