VISN1 Rural Health Program

Daniel H. Mades

Rural Health Consultant

Veterans Integrated Service Network 1

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VETERANS HEALTH ADMINISTRATIONVETERANS HEALTH ADMINISTRATION – OFFICE OF RURAL HEALTH

Rural Veterans in New England

In 2013, about 939,000 veterans in New EnglandCurrently: • Enrollees 361,800

– About 115,000 are Rural

• VA System users / active patients: 260,000– About 82,000 are Rural

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VETERANS HEALTH ADMINISTRATIONVETERANS HEALTH ADMINISTRATION – OFFICE OF RURAL HEALTH

VA Rural Health in New England

• Rural veterans have limited access to VA care• Office of Rural Health provides special-purpose funding to

assist with that access• Veterans Rural Health Resource Center - Eastern Region

“North” is hosted at the Lewiston, Me Community Based Outpatient Clinic

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VETERANS HEALTH ADMINISTRATIONVETERANS HEALTH ADMINISTRATION – OFFICE OF RURAL HEALTH

Roles & Responsibilities

VISN Rural Health Consultant (VRC)Program Manager / Liaison

– Communications

• Crossing VISNs, Regions– Organizational Relationships

• VHACO –Region – VISN - Station– Promising Practices

• Pilot projects• Operationalization• Propagation

– Access to care

• Efficiencies• Expanded services in rural areas

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VETERANS HEALTH ADMINISTRATIONVETERANS HEALTH ADMINISTRATION – OFFICE OF RURAL HEALTH

Program Management

• Proposal development & review• Resource management

– Personnel– Funds

• Project management expertise/consulting– Planning– Scheduling– Execution– Review– Reporting

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VETERANS HEALTH ADMINISTRATIONVETERANS HEALTH ADMINISTRATION – OFFICE OF RURAL HEALTH

VISN1 FY 15 Rural Health - Spectrum of Pilots

• Telemedicine• Women's Health

– Maternity Care– Breast health

• Mental Health• Home Care

– Primary– Retinal Imaging

• Provider & Staff Education• ALS

• Information Sharing: – VA Private– Care Collaboration

• Case Management• Palliative Care• Spiritual support• Medication reconciliation• Group Specialty Clinics• Physical Rehab• Dermatology

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VETERANS HEALTH ADMINISTRATIONVETERANS HEALTH ADMINISTRATION – OFFICE OF RURAL HEALTH

Contact: Daniel H. MadesVeterans Health AdministrationOffice of Rural HealthVISN 1 Rural Health ConsultantDaniel.Mades@va.govPh: (781) 999 1495

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Questions?