2023 Rural Health Voice Conference

November 15-16
Inn at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, VA

For over twenty years, the Virginia Rural Health Association has served as “The Voice for Rural Health in Virginia.” Rural Health is DIFFERENT. Rural Americans face a unique combination of factors that create disparities in health care not found in urban areas. Economic factors, cultural and social differences, educational differences, lack of recognition by legislators and the isolation of living in remote rural areas all conspire to impede rural Americans in their struggle to lead a normal, healthy life. This event focuses on the opportunity for rural health stakeholders to hold in-depth conversations about how the issues in our communities can be addressed.

The Rural Health Voice Conference is an occasion to recognize that health in rural areas is not the sole responsibility of doctors and nurses. Education, economic development, transportation, the built environment, and even social opportunities play a role in the health of individuals and communities. All aspects of the community are providers or barriers to health.

2023 Speakers:

Dr. Eduardo Sanchez

Chief Medical Officer for Prevention
American Heart Association

Dr. Karen Shelton, MD, FACOG

Virginia State Health Commissioner

Carrie Cochran-McClain, DrPH

Chief Policy Officer
National Rural Health Association

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Workforce Panel:

Harrison Hayes
Executive Director

Marty Holliday
Executive Director

Randall Longenecker, MD
Senior Advisor & Consultant

Philmika Reid
Director of Healthcare Workforce and Community Relations

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Drone Delivery Panel:

Nick Chuquín, MSHA, FACHE
President

Stephanie Zumbuhl
Sr. Grant Strategist

John Costulis
Deputy Director

Agenda

Wednesday November 15th

8:30 – Breakfast
8:45 – Welcome
9:00 – A View from the Hill – Carrie Cochran-McClain, DrPH
slides, Faces of Rural video

10:00 – Keynote Presentation – Dr. Eduardo Sanchez
slides

11:30 – Break and move to discussion groups
11:45 – Discussion Groups

Serving Persons with Disabilities
Academic Practice Partnerships
Vaccine Confidence

1:00 – Awards Luncheon
2:00 – Discussion Groups

Community Health Workers
Telehealth Benefits & Barriers
Food Insecurity

3:15 – Break
3:30 – Workforce Panel
slides

5:30 – Poster Contest

Thursday

8:30 – Breakfast
8:45 – Student essay winner
9:00 – Rural Health Equity – Commissioner Karen Shelton, MD, FACOG
10:30 – Creative Solutions – Drone Delivery Panel
slides

Hotel Information

The Inn at Virginia Tech

901 Prices Fork Road
Blacksburg, Virginia 24061

*The deadline to guarantee a hotel room has now passed. Please contact the hotel to check availability.*

Registration

Event registration fees include 2024 VRHA membership dues.
(Individual memberships only, does not apply for organizational memberships)

VRHA Members – $265

Access code for this rate was emailed to all members on July 25th. If you are a new member or you did not receive yours, please email meghan@vrha.org

Non-Member Rate – $325
Students – $95 for both days
- 11/15 Only: $75.00
- 11/16 Only: $30.00

Reduced rate for one-day attendance is only available to students.

Register Here

Student Scholarships – “Why Rural?”

VRHA is inviting students who are in any health or public policy program to submit essays on why they want to serve rural communities. Three essays will be selected to receive free conference registration.

The author of the winning essay will have the honor of reading the essay at the conference, plus 2 complimentary nights at the hotel and a $500 cash prize!

SUBMISSION DEADLINE HAS NOW PASSED.

Student Poster Presentations

VRHA is now accepting applications for Poster Presentations from health and public policy students at the conference. A maximum of 15 applications will be approved for presentation.

Prizes:

First Place: $500
Second Place: $250
Third Place: $100

The Poster Presentations provide participants with the ideal opportunity to disseminate information to other rural health stakeholders. Poster Presentations may include research projects, case studies, clinical evaluations, case presentations, observations, unusual or uncommon situations and other topics as they relate to rural health. All types of health professions and public policy students are encouraged to submit applications for consideration. Posters co-authored by professionals are acceptable as long as the student is the lead author and presenter

All posters must have a Virginia perspective: either submitted by a student from Virginia, or by a student attending a Virginia school, or a poster topic on a Virginia issue. Entries with no relation to Virginia will not be considered.

Submission information and general instructions:

Incomplete submissions will not be reviewed by the planning committee.
SUBMISSION DEADLINE HAS NOW PASSED.
Presenters may not use posters to market products or services; exhibit space is available for that purpose.
No honoraria or travel expense reimbursement will be provided.
The presenter is responsible for having the poster printed and bringing a display easel to the event.

Categories & Judging:

Presentations will be reviewed and judged by the following criteria –

Rural relevance (30 points)
Presenter – enthusiastic, professional, well-prepared (20 points)
Interpretation of data (10 points)
Abstract or summary of findings (10 points)
Proper reference/citations (10 points)
Background & Rationale (10 points)
General overview/layout of the poster (10 points)

2023 VRHA Awards

All Virginia Rural Health Association members and member organizations are invited to submit nominations for the 2023 Virginia Rural Health Association Awards. Nominees are not required to be members of the association. Commitment and service to the advancement of rural health in Virginia may be in the form of direct provision of health care services, governmental or educational advocacy, activities or research that improves the health of communities or populations.

Awardees Categories:

Lawmaker of the Year – Lawmaker of the Year is designed to give special recognition to an elected official at any level who has demonstrated support for improving health in rural Virginia.

The Charles Crowder, Jr. Award – This award is given annually by the Virginia Rural Health Association to recognize outstanding individual commitment and service to the advancement of rural health in Virginia.

The Best Practices in Rural Health Award – This award is given annually by the Virginia Rural Health Association to recognize a program or institution that exemplifies commitment and service to the advancement of rural health in Virginia.

The Ken Studer Friend of the Association Award – This award is given to recognize a program, institution or individual that has advocated for or aided the Association in support of the Association’s mission.

SUBMISSION DEADLINE HAS NOW PASSED.

2023 Award Nomination Form

Read about our past honorees here.

Sponsor/Exhibitor Information

The Rural Health Voice Conference creates unique networking opportunities and a forum to discuss how we can strengthen the healthcare safety net through collaboration, share best practices and best utilize community resources. Your support is greatly appreciated.

Target Audience:
The conference is attended by approximately 80-100 people, which includes facility executives, academic faculty, clinic staff, government officials, health professions students and more.

2023 Sponsor Packet