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Office of Rural Health

The Office of Rural Health (ORH), a section of the Wyoming Department of Health, Community and Rural Health Division was established by the Wyoming Legislature in 1995 to promote collaboration in expanding comprehensive, community based primary care services in the rural/frontier communities of Wyoming.  ORH places high priority on improving access to care for the underserved and vulnerable populations of the state.

The ORH’s role in enhancing access is to:

  • Serve as a clearinghouse for information on primary healthcare services in the rural/frontier communities of Wyoming.
  • Provide technical assistance and consultation services to communities and rural areas to recruit healthcare professionals, assess healthcare needs and priorities, and identify sources of funding and programming.
  • Establish strong working relationships with healthcare professionals throughout the state.
  • Assist in the development of outpatient primary care services in underserved areas of the state.
  • Conduct an active and ongoing recruitment program for physicians and other healthcare professionals.

In order to carry out its role, the ORH:

  • Acts as the Wyoming Primary Care Office (PCO):  Activities include the recruitment and retention of physicians/other healthcare professionals through a contract with the Wyoming Health Resources Network; the establishment of health professional shortage areas (HPSA) in the state; serving as the state’s liaison for federal loan repayment programs including the National Health Service Corps; working closely with the Wyoming Primary Care Association to develop primary care services for the underserved.
  • Acts as the Wyoming State Office of Rural Health (SORH):  Direct and support activities to strengthen rural healthcare delivery systems within the state.  Examples including working with the Wyoming Health Care Commission to design a comprehensive study of rural health in Wyoming; providing leadership to the Wyoming Interagency Council on Homelessness.
  • Administers the Small Hospital Improvement Program (SHIP): This funding cycle the WORH will distribute about $175,000 in grant money to 17 small hospitals throughout the state to enhance their operating efficiencies and improve quality.
  • Administer Wyoming’s Flex Program:  This year the WORH will oversee ~$400,000 in federal funding to support the designation of hospitals of 25 beds or less as Critical Access Hospitals (CAH).  To date, 14 of Wyoming’s 25 acute care hospitals have this designation, 1 hospital has an application pending and an additional 5 could qualify for this designation.  Critical Access Hospital status allows hospitals to be reimbursed 101% of costs for services provided to Medicare clients.  The Flex program (the Medicare Rural Hospital Flexibility Program) also supports the development of networks of Critical Access Hospitals to improve quality and increase operational efficiencies, and provides funds to strengthen the Emergency Medical System in the state.  This year the Wyoming EMS Program will receive ~$120.000 to support training of EMTs and trauma staffs, equip local ambulance services and maintain the Wyoming Trauma Registry.
  • Design and Oversee the Wyoming State Healthcare Provider Loan Repayment Program:  As of August 5, 2005, the Office of Rural Health completed the first round of funding to physicians, dentists and allied health professionals across Wyoming.  In the 2004 legislative session, the legislature passed a bill that provides ~$1 million in state funds to establish a three year state loan repayment program for physicians, dentists and allied healthcare professionals. Lynne Weidel, M.H.A., Manager of the Office of Rural Health states, "We are pleased and excited to be able to make these awards.  We hope that this program provides a valuable incentive for healthcare providers to come to Wyoming to practice in their professions and remain in Wyoming, becoming long-term assets to their communities."  For more information, click here.
  • Design and Oversee the Wyoming Medical Malpractice Insurance Assistance Program: In the 2004 special legislative session, legislation was passed to provide loans to physicians confronted with unexpected medical malpractice tail coverage premiums.  The legislature allocated $13.2 million for the implementation of this program. 

In its efforts to foster collaboration, the WORH has formed a partnership with the Wyoming Primary Care Association and the Wyoming Health Resources Network.  The three organizations developed a shared work plan for the year which includes the development of a shared quarterly newsletter and web site to disseminate important information to providers and others interested in access to care.

In October 2003, the Office of Rural Health was expanded to include the Community Services Block Grant Program (CSBG), the Emergency Shelter Grant Program, the Community Food & Nutrition Program and the Office of Minority Health.

The ORH’s operating budget is about ~$ 1 million annually, exclusive of the healthcare provider loan repayment and the medical malpractice insurance assistance programs.  Annually, about $200,000 of this budget is funded by state general funds, which also support the operations of the Office of Minority Health.  The CSBG, Emergency Shelter and Community Food & Nutrition grant programs add another ~$3.5 million, to bring the ORH’s budget to about $4.5 million annually.