Integrating public health and primary care
New NGA Report on States Roles in Delivery System Reform provides a resource for current and future governors to address health reform in their states. ASTHO's chapter, " Primary Care and Prevention", was built from research and interviews with over 10 state health officials and alumni. The full report covers 1) health care quality and improvement, 2) care coordination and disease management, 3) primary care and prevention, 4) health care payment systems and 5) the role of Medicaid in delivery system reforms. Contact Sharon Moffatt or Pellavi Sharma. About
ASTHO's Primary Care project addresses training and technical assistance for state primary care offices and provides information to state health officials on larger access to care and primary care issues. Primary Care Office Training and Technical Assistance Initiative
Primary care offices (PCOs), located within state and territorial health agencies, address access to health care services for the under- and uninsured. PCOs address health care workforce shortages by designating geographic areas of their states as underserved or health professional shortage areas. They also actively work to help place providers in these underserved areas through loan repayment programs, assisting with the National Health Service Corps application process, and other workforce programs. ASTHO's primary care project provides training and assistance to primary care office directors and staff. Work under this initiative includes development of an orientation manual for new primary care office directors, a training curriculum for PCO staff and mentorship programs for directors and their staff. Please contact Pellavi Sharmawith questions about this program.Safety Net
The Healthcare Safety Net: Types of Providers
State Health Agency Inputs into the Safety Net
Retail Clinics Fact Sheet (pdf)
Public Health Preparedness and Primary Care
Collaborating with Community Health Centers for Preparedness (pdf)
Developed in partnership with the National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) and the National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC), this publication outlines the work of the Task Force on Health Agency-Community Health Center Coordination in Preparedness, the roles and responsibilities of each partner in emergency responses, and provides recommendations for and examples of effective collaboration among partners.
Developing Partnerships with Community Health Centers for Emergency Preparedness Planning (pdf)
Features three states actively collaborating with community health centers in emergency preparedness planning.
Technical Assistance
ASTHO Comments on Negotiated Rulemaking Committee
ASTHO Response to HRSA Proposed Rule on Medically Underserved Populations and Areas (pdf)
Comments from ASTHO members in response to a proposed HRSA rule that alters the designation methodology of medically underserved areas and populations. The original proposed rule combined indicators of diminished access to healthcare services, shortages of healthcare professionals, and reduced health status.
Entities to Address Workforce Shortages (xls)
ASTHO analysis of state laws that created entities to address workforce policy issues. Examples comprise Iowa, Louisiana, Massachusetts, New Mexico and West Virginia.
Resources
Webinars The Basics of State Primary Care Workforce Issues (pdf)
2010 | This webinar provides background information on the health care safety net, primary care workforce shortages and federal and state programs designed to address workforce shortages.
Health Reform and Workforce Shortages (pdf)
2009 | This webinar, co-hosted by ASTHO and the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL), examines current federal health reform proposals, background on the primary care workforce shortage and an example from the Colorado State Primary Care Office that addressed both the public health and primary care workforce shortage. Visit NCSL's website to view the archived webinar with audio or click the title to download the entire slide deck.
NCSL Archive of Health Reform and Workforce Shortages Webinar (webinar)
Show more »
Other Organizations
Directory of Primary Care Offices (external site)
HRSA Bureau of Primary Health Care (external site)
National Academy for State Health Policy (external site)
National Association of Community Health Centers (external site)
National Association of County and City Health Officials (external site)
Show more »
Staff
Albert Terrillion, DrPH, CPH, CHES, Senior Director, Family and Community Health
Pellavi Sharma, MPH, Director, Access-to-Care
Amy Ramsay, Analyst, Health Education