Southern Utah University Secures Support for Rural Health Clinics in Utah
Published: September 05, 2024 | Author: Lawrence Mbaki | Read Time: 2 minutes
Southern Utah University is proud to play a role in the formation of the Utah Rural Health Clinics Network, a collaboration aimed at strengthening healthcare services across rural Utah. This network will provide essential support to Rural Health Clinic (RHC) teams statewide, helping them navigate the complex regulations and requirements unique to RHCs, assess their performance relative to similar clinics, and optimize their resources to better serve their communities.
The Utah Center for Rural Health at SUU is coming together with the Utah Department of Health and Human Services Office of Primary Care and Rural Health, the Rural 9 Network, Kamas & Coalville Clinics, Uintah Basin Medical Center, Main Street Clinic, and Mountain Utah Family Medicine for this new grant program. This $100,000 grant will be instrumental in building a sustainable network to support the more than 15 clinics across Utah that operate as RHCs.
Kasey Shakespear, Assistant Director of the Utah Center for Rural Health at SUU, will serve as the Project Director for this grant. With dual master’s degrees in Healthcare Administration and Public Health, Shakespear brings experience and expertise to this project making him a strong match for the grant requirements and internal goals established in this proposal.
“A grant like this makes a true impact and, hopefully, will have a lasting effect. I think that is the biggest reward,” said Shakespear. He further elaborated on the challenges ahead, emphasizing the need to balance the different needs of each clinic with the long-term feasibility of the network. “We have to find the right balance of benefit versus cost for the clinics to belong to a sustainable network. The benefit side has to be worth it to a variety of clinics, ranging from small clinics with one or two providers who operate independently to larger clinics with five or more providers that are part of independently owned and operated Critical Access Hospitals. These clinics are spread across the state, meaning each will have unique needs.”
This award places SUU among 30 recipients of this grant nationwide and the only one selected from Utah. We extend our congratulations to Kasey Shakespear and his team for their outstanding work and look forward to the positive impact this initiative will have on rural healthcare in Utah. Southern Utah University continues to grow in its unique endeavor to connect people to place and purpose, demonstrating its commitment to fostering meaningful collaborations that benefit the broader community.
Produced by the SPARC Office. SUU's SPARC Office provides assistance to faculty, staff, and administrators seeking external funding for their projects and programs, from concept development and planning through implementation and management of funded projects.
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Contact Information:
Brooke Heath
4355865400
brookeheath1@suu.edu