Wyoming Department of Health

Physician Recruitment Grant Program Taking Applications

Community health groups and facilities across Wyoming are being encouraged by the Wyoming Department of Health’s Rural and Frontier Health Division to apply for grants to support local physician recruitment.

The Wyoming Physician Recruitment Grant Program provides funding that may be used for incentives and relocation expenses. Hospitals, clinics, physicians and other appropriate Wyoming agencies are invited to apply for up to $80,000 in state funds to support physician recruitment efforts.

“The program is designed to help Wyoming communities that are medically underserved recruit physicians,” said Jeff Hopkins, healthcare recruitment and workforce specialist with the Wyoming Department of Health. “More doctors in town can certainly improve access to care.”

Applications are due by September 10. Awards are expected to be highly competitive.

For more information about the Wyoming Physician Recruitment Grant Program, please contact the Office of Rural Health at 307-777-6512. Applications are available online at http://health.wyo.gov/rfhd/rural/Physician_Recruitment.html.

Applications Sought for Loan Repayment Program

The Wyoming Department of Health is accepting applications from qualified medical professionals who would like help paying their student loans in exchange for practicing in Wyoming.

The Wyoming Healthcare Professional Loan Repayment Program repays physicians, dentists and allied healthcare providers for costs of eligible educational loans in return for a commitment to practice in an underserved area in Wyoming for a minimum of three years.

“In a recent survey, 100 percent of the physicians who considered practicing in another state identified the Wyoming Healthcare Professional Loan Repayment Program as critical in their initial decision to practice in Wyoming,” said Sharla Allen, Office of Rural Health manager with the Wyoming Department of Health.

“Our efforts are paying off,” Allen continued. “Wyoming’s loan repayment program has helped recruit and retain more healthcare professionals into our state’s areas of greatest need than three federal programs combined.”

Physicians and dentists are eligible to receive up to $90,000 over a three-year period, and other eligible healthcare professionals are eligible for up to $30,000 over a three-year period. The program is competitive with emphasis given to counties and certain medical specialties and professions of greatest need.

Applications can be completed on-line at http://health.wyo.gov/rfhd/rural/loan.html and are due by September 30. All current and future licensed healthcare professionals are eligible to apply; those not currently licensed in Wyoming may apply up to one year prior to obtaining their license.

Allen expects her office to receive more than 300 applications for the program during the 90-day application window.

Please contact the Office of Rural Health at 307-777-2930 or email jeff.hopkins@health.wyo.gov for more information on this or other healthcare loan repayment or scholarship programs.

Vaccination Important for Whooping Cough Prevention

With pertussis (whooping cough) cases sharply on the rise this year in several states, Wyoming Department of Health officials are encouraging families to make sure their families are protected from the disease by vaccines.

California has declared a pertussis epidemic, with at least 900 reported cases and five infant deaths. Several other states are reporting increased pertussis cases. Eight pertussis cases have been reported to the Wyoming Department of Health so far this year; 20 were reported in 2009.

“While we are not seeing any unusual pertussis activity in Wyoming at this time, what is going on in other states can help remind us all about how important vaccines can be,” said Dr. Brent Sherard, Wyoming Department of Health director and state health officer. Pertussis is a vaccine-preventable disease.

“Not surprisingly, pertussis can be most severe for babies who are too young to be fully vaccinated,” Sherard said. “These babies often catch the illness from a family member or other caregiver who didn’t realize they have the disease.”

Sherard said the Tdap adolescent/adult pertussis booster vaccine is helpful for pertussis prevention and control.

“Getting vaccinated with Tdap is especially important for people who spend time with new infants,” Sherard said. “Pregnant women or those planning on becoming pregnant should talk to their doctor about getting the Tdap vaccine. It’s also good to make sure all people around your baby are vaccinated, including siblings, grandparents, other family members and childcare staff.”

More than half of infants less than 1 year of age who become ill with pertussis must be hospitalized and it can be deadly in rare cases.

Pertussis typically begins with cold-like symptoms and perhaps a mild cough. Pertussis is often not suspected or diagnosed until a persistent cough with spasms sets in after one to two weeks. Infants and children with pertussis can cough violently and rapidly with a loud "whooping" sound.

Sherard also recommended that it is important to keep infants away from individuals who have an illness characterized by coughing.