Improving the Health of Rural Communities Through Academic-Community Partnerships and Interprofessional Health Care...

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Management
• Rural Health
• Interprofessional Education

Background:

• Widening health disparities between rural and urban populations.
• Urban healthcare systems are consolidating rural hospitals, increasing focus on value-based care.
• Academic health centers (AHCs) are underutilized in developing rural interprofessional practice models.

Purpose of the Study:

• To highlight the role of AHCs in developing interprofessional practice and training in rural areas.
• To emphasize the importance of academic-community partnerships in addressing rural health disparities.
• To showcase innovative models of team-based care in rural settings.

Main Methods:

• Review and commentary on 3 existing academic-community partnership models.
• Analysis of models focused on specific patient populations and measurable outcomes.
• Discussion of the components of successful partnerships and interprofessional models.

Main Results:

• Demonstrated success of academic-community partnerships in building teams that address social needs.
• Evidence of improved health outcomes and reduced costs through team-based care.
• Identified 3 innovative models: Asheville Project, Boise Interprofessional Academic Patient Aligned Care, and Interprofessional Care Access Network.

Conclusions:

• Academic-community partnerships are crucial for effective rural healthcare delivery.
• Team-based care models developed through these partnerships can significantly improve health and lower costs.
• Further research is needed on partnership components, workforce deployment, and model design.