Analytics and Innovations Program

What We Do

The Analytics and Innovations (AI) Team at the Office of Rural Health (ORH) strives to assist ORH programs and grantees with using data and leveraging technologies in ways that help improve monitoring, evaluation efforts, and innovative strategies. In addition, the AI team

provides technical assistance for communities and Safety Net providers seeking to improve access and quality of care for vulnerable populations through integrated systems of care and innovative and strategic planning.
leverages resources and funding through State, federal agencies, and private foundations to support community health initiatives and demonstration projects that benefit the uninsured, Medicaid recipients, and other vulnerable populations.
works with federal, state and local entities to identify shortage areas of primary care, dental or behavioral health care providers. These areas are designated as health professional shortage areas (HPSA) according to federal guidelines, making them eligible to qualify for federal funding and services.

Community Health Workers (CHWs) have been recognized for their ability to help individuals and communities find resources to improve their health. The North Carolina Community Health Worker Program has been established at the Office of Rural Health to continue the work of North Carolina Community Health Worker Initiative which began in 2014 through the Division of Public Health. The stakeholders of the initiative created a final report with recommendations to create a sustainable infrastructure for Community Health Workers (CHWs) that includes specific roles, core competencies and standardized training.

The Office of Rural Health continues this effort by working with key stakeholders to implement the recommendations that include:

Piloting innovative models to contribute to the evidence base and impact on population health in rural and other areas
Developing protocols within care teams that recognize the contribution of CHWs
Consulting and training for community based organizations, healthcare settings and other agencies working with CHWs
Identifying necessary tools needed for success
Supporting standardized Core Competency Training
Supporting the establishment of NC CHW Certification and Accreditation Board
Supporting and recognizing a NC CHW Network

Community Health Workers in North Carolina: Creating an Infrastructure for Sustainability
Community Health Workers in North Carolina: Creating an Infrastructure for Sustainability (Spanish)

Health Professional Shortage Areas

HPSA Program Profile
HPSA Primary Care Map with Scores as of 1/2/2020
HPSA Mental Health Map with Scores as of 1/2/2020
HPSA Dental Health Map with Scores as of 1/2/2020

2019 Annual Governor’s Report Summary

HRSA implemented the National Shortage Designation Update of Automatically-Designated HPSA (autohpsas) in the Fall of 2019. Some of these facilities have not been reviewed since their original designation in 2002. Overall, AutoHPSAs were updated for 77 organizations representing 302 delivery sites in North Carolina. Of these HPSA reviews, 15 (19.5%) resulted in a decrease in score for primary care, two (2.6%) had a decrease in dental HPSA scores, and 11(14.3%) had a decrease in mental health scores. The net result is 12.1 % of the reviews resulted in lower scores and 87.9 % of the scores were either higher, the same, or were new scores without a previous review.
There were 10 new Population and Geographic HPSAs designated; five primary care, one dental, and four mental health. In addition, four primary care, 38 dental, and 20 mental health HPSAs were updated.
The report includes background, summary, data tables reflecting changes, current designation maps, and maps showing the relative score increases or decreases for population and geographic HPSAs

Annual Governor’s Report Document for 2019: Link