Congress established the Veterans Health Administration Office of Rural Health (ORH) in 2006 to improve the health and well-being of America’s nearly five million rural Veterans through research, innovation, and dissemination of best practices. ORH fulfills this mission by supporting targeted research, developing innovative programs and identifying new care models. Working through its five Veterans Rural Health Resource Centers, as well as partners from academia, state and local governments, private industry, and non-profit organizations, ORH strives to break down the barriers separating rural Veterans from quality care.
Advance Care Planning via Group Visits Program
Increasing Veteran and caregiver motivation for advance care planning
Advanced Comprehensive Diabetes Care (ACDC)
Leveraging Home Telehealth and other VA resources to control diabetes
Building Spiritual Strength (BSS)
Building Spiritual Strength is a group approach for moral injury that can be led by chaplains, mental health providers, or both as a team.
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Coordinated Access to Reduce Exacerbations (COPD CARE)
Empowering interprofessional care teams to optimize COPD management.
Falls Boot Camp
Preventing falls through team style activity sessions
Healing Veteran Hearts with Virtual Home-Based Cardiac Rehabilitation (Smart HEART)
Reduce cardiovascular disease risk and improve quality of life
Home-based Cardiac Rehabilitation
Delivering cardiac rehabilitation to the comfort of the homes of Veterans
Hospital acquired pneumonia prevention by engaging nurses (HAPPEN)
Brushing teeth is saving Veteran lives
Improving Communication in Home Based Primary Care
Improving communication within the HBPC team directly impacts the Veterans and caregivers served.
Increasing Access to Primary Care Using Pharmacist Providers
Pharmacists open access by shifting appointments & saving time.
Low Vision TeleEye Rehabilitation: Expansion of Low Vision Optometry Rehabilitation utilizing Telehealth
Telehealth increases access to low vision & blind Veterans by 25% yearly. Studies have shown the advantage to provide low vision rehabilitation as soon after diagnosis prevents potential decline in functional ability over time.