Links to Rural Health Organizations

Federal National

Federal

Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ)
The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) is the lead Federal agency for research on health care quality, costs, outcomes, and patient safety.

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid (CMS)
The Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is the federal agency within the Department of Health and Human Services that runs the Medicare and Medicaid programs and with the Health Resources and Services Administration runs the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP).

CMS Critical Access Hospitals Center
Medicare and Medicaid services information for Critical Access Hospitals.

Federal Office of Rural Health Policy (ORHP)
The Office of Rural Health Policy (ORHP) promotes better health care service in rural America by informing and advising the Department of Health and Human Services on matters affecting rural hospitals and health care, coordinating activities within the department that relate to rural health care, and maintaining a national information clearinghouse.

Health Resources and Services Administration
The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), an agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, is the primary Federal agency for improving access to health care services for people who are uninsured, isolated or medically vulnerable.

HRSA Database of Health Professional Shortage Areas
Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs) have shortages of primary medical care, dental or mental health providers and may be geographic (a county or service area), demographic (low income population) or institutional.

Indian Health Service
The IHS mission is to raise the physical, mental, social, and spiritual health of American Indians and Alaska Natives to the highest level, and to ensure that comprehensive, culturally acceptable personal and public health services are available and accessible to American Indian and Alaska Native people.

National Archives and Records Administration
Published by the Office of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), the Federal Register is the official daily publication for rules, proposed rules, and notices of Federal agencies and organizations, as well as executive orders and other presidential documents.

National Center for Health Workforce Analysis
The National Center for Health Workforce Analysis provides health care workforce statistics from counties throughout the United States.

National Health Services Corps
The National Health Service Corps is committed to improving the health of the Nation's underserved. We unite communities in need with caring health professionals and support their efforts to build better systems of care.

National Institutes of Health
The National Institutes of Health (NIH), a part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, is the primary Federal agency for conducting and supporting medical research.

Office for the Advancement of Telehealth
HRSA works to increase and improve the use of telehealth to meet the needs of underserved people, including those living in rural and remote areas, those who are low-income and uninsured or enrolled in Medicaid.

Rural Information Center (RIC)
RIC provides information and referral services for rural communities, officials, organizations, and citizens. RIC is located at the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Thomas: Legislative Information on the Internet
THOMAS was launched in January of 1995, at the inception of the 104th Congress. The leadership of the 104th Congress directed the Library of Congress to make federal legislative information freely available to the public.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
HHS is the U.S. government's principal agency for protecting the health of all Americans and providing essential human services, especially for those who are least able to help themselves.

National Organizations

AHA Small or Rural Hospitals
The AHA Small or Rural Hospitals site provides information on critical access hospitals and the legislation and regulations that impact them. This site also has case studies depicting CAH replacement facilities.

American Academy of Family Physicians
The American Academy of Family Physicians is the national association of family doctors. The Academy was founded in 1947 to promote and maintain high quality standards for family doctors who are providing continuing comprehensive health care to the public.

The American Health Quality Association (AHQA)
The America Health Quality Association (AQHA) represents Quality Improvement Organizations (QIOs) and professionals working to improve the quality of health care in communities across America by sharing information about best practices with physicians, hospitals, and nursing homes, and also identifying opportunities and providing assistance for improvement.

The American Hospital Association (AHA)
The American Hospital Association (AHA) is a national organization that represents and serves all types of hospitals, health care networks, and their patients and communities.

American Hospital Association (AHA) - Section for CAH
From its initial creation as part of the Balance Budget Act of 1997, the AHA has been a champion of the development and subsequent improvements and enhancements of the CAH program.

Flex Monitoring Team
The monitoring project assesses the impact of the Flex Program on rural hospitals and communities and the role of the states in achieving overall program objectives.

The Governance Institute
The Governance Institute conducts research studies, tracks healthcare industry trends, and showcases the best practices of leading healthcare boards across the country.

National Organization of State Offices of Rural Health (NOSORH)
The National Organization of State Offices of Rural Health (NOSORH) strive to develop increased communication and involvement with the 50 State Offices of Rural Health, building strong relationships wtih other health care groups, and find sources of revenue to improve its effectiveness.

National Rural Health Association
The National Rural Health Association is a national membership organization, consisting of approximately 2000 members, whose mission is to improve the health and health care of rural Americans and to provide leadership on rural issues through advocacy, communications, education and research.

ORHP - Funded Rural Health Research Centers
The Office of Rural Health Policy (ORHP) promotes better health care service in rural America. The Office works both within government at federal, state and local levels, and with the private sector -- with associations, foundations, providers and community leaders -- to seek solutions to rural health care problems.

Rural Assistance Center
The Rural Assistance Center (RAC) is a national portal for health and human services information which provides customized searches and assistance on a variety of rural topics.

Rural Health Works
A program developed to demonstrate the link between healthy people and health economies through Economic Impact Studies, Community Health Planning, and Feasibility Studies.

Rural Policy Research Institute
RUPRI conducts policy-relevant research and facilitates public dialogue to assist policymakers in understanding the rural impacts of public policies and programs.

Rural Recruitment and Retention Network
The National Rural Recruitment & Retention Network (3RNet): A nonprofit organization made up of state organizations helping health professionals find practice opportunities in rural areas throughout the country.

National Association of Rural Health Clinics
The National Association of Rural Health Clinics (NARHC) is the only national organization dedicated exclusively to improving the delivery of quality, cost-effective health care in rural under served areas through the Rural Health Clinics (RHC) Program.

National Association of Rural Mental Health
The National Association for Rural Mental Health (NARMH) was founded in 1977 in order to develop and enhance rural mental health and substance abuse services and to support mental health providers in rural areas.

National Conference of State Legislatures
NCSL provides research, technical assistance and opportunities for policymakers to exchange ideas on the most pressing state issues. NCSL is an effective and respected advocate for the interests of state governments before Congress and federal agencies.