Centra celebrates National Rural Health Day on Thursday, November 21, 2024. Since 2011, the National Organization of State Offices of Rural Health has set aside the third Thursday of November to celebrate the "Power of Rural" on National Rural Health Day. This day serves as an opportunity to bring attention to and honor the incredible efforts of rural healthcare providers, communities, organizations, State Offices of Rural Health, and other stakeholders dedicated to addressing the unique healthcare needs of rural America.
Centra serves over 500,000 people across 50 locations. As the leading provider of critical medical services in central and southern Virginia, we continuously strive to enhance the services of our rural hospitals in Bedford and Farmville. The following summary highlights our efforts related to workforce development, transportation, maternal health, behavioral health and telehealth to influence rural health outcomes positively.
Emergency Psychiatric Assessment Treatment and Healing (EmPATH) Unit
Opened in September 2023, the EmPATH Unit was designed to reduce isolation and wait times for patients in mental health crises. As the first of its kind in Virginia, the unit promotes patient socialization, interaction and movement. In its first six months, 75% of patients were discharged without inpatient admission, compared to 36.3% before its opening. Located in Lynchburg, the unit also serves patients from the emergency departments of our rural hospitals, Centra Bedford Memorial Hospital and Centra Southside Community Hospital.
Psychiatric Telehealth Services
In partnership with Array Behavioral Care and Community Services Boards, Centra offers telehealth psychiatry services in Bedford’s and Southside’s Emergency Departments. This service addresses a critical gap in care for rural residents with emergent behavioral health needs.
Community Paramedic Program
Through our Community Paramedic Program, we partner with patients and their families to work through challenges associated with transportation, medication reconciliation, mobility issues (such as need for a wheelchair ramp or grab bars) and education on chronic or new, onset diagnoses. With additional funding, Centra could expand this program to include Community Health Workers, who would visit patients at home alongside paramedics, bridging access to community resources and further health education.
Workforce Development through Academic Partnerships
In addition to our own college of nursing, Centra partners with eight academic institutions to train healthcare professionals. This initiative has led to graduates remaining in our communities and working at our rural hospitals. Additionally, Nursing Leadership supports local workforce growth by funding advanced degrees for employees committed to rural communities. An apprenticeship program for non-clinical trades to develop HVAC, plumbing, and electrical technicians is set to launch in late 2024, which will support our facility operations.
Midwifery Services
In 2020, Centra launched a midwifery group in Farmville, bolstering staff retention and expanding our obstetrics practice in the region. These providers also oversee labor and delivery services at Centra Southside Community Hospital.
Remote Patient Monitoring (RPM) Program
The RPM Program aims to reduce hospital readmissions and emergency visits by helping patients manage chronic conditions like diabetes, hypertension and COPD. Participants receive a tablet, digital scale, blood pressure cuff, pulse oximeter and heart rate monitor, all of which transmit data to Centra’s Command Center, allowing follow up with the patient to be initiated if needed.
Primary Care Access Expansion
We utilize telehealth for urgent care and follow-up primary care appointments at the Centra Southside Medical Center in Farmville. As demand grows in rural communities, telehealth presents a practical way to remove obstacles to access for patients.
