Office of Rural Health (ORH)
Enterprise-Wide Initiatives | Veterans Rural Health Resource Centers
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Office of Rural Health (ORH) was established in 2006 by legislative mandate.* ORH was formed to study the specific needs of rural Veterans and the barriers they face to accessing care, as well as the challenges of delivering health care services in rural and highly rural areas.
Through ORH Enterprise-Wide Initiatives (EWIs) and its field-based Veterans Rural Health Resource Centers (VRHRCs), the office supports the VHA Under Secretary for Health to meet the intent of the Congressional mandate. ORH collaborates with medical, rehabilitation, health services, and implementation science research programs. ORH VA Central Office staff and field-based project teams work with clinical and operational services from across the VA to improve access to VHA and community health care.
ORH strives to meet its mission to honor America’s rural Veterans by providing exceptional health care that improves their health. ORH is advancing care and services for rural Veterans throughout the system through research and quality improvement, and by developing, refining, and promulgating policies, best practices, lessons learned, and innovative and successful programs.
The vision of ORH is to lead the future in delivering unparalleled health and well-being to rural Veterans.
ORH's improves rural Veterans access to care, care quality, and health outcomes through two primary operational arms:
Enterprise-Wide Initiatives (EWIs): ORH leverages existing knowledge and personnel resources to research, innovate, and disseminate EWIs through local and national collaborations. EWI program managers work with ORH VHA Central Office to provide oversight, mentorship, and continuous program evaluation support.
- EWIs expand national VA program office efforts to improve rural Veterans access to VHA and community health care.
- EWIs are hospital and clinic-based solutions that have been tested in multiple locations and proven as effective and efficient methods to standardize care delivery.
Veterans Rural Health Resource Centers (VRHRCs):
- VRHRC projects support the testing of innovative clinical and health services interventions that improve the lives of rural Veterans.
- Project concepts are pilot tested, replicated, and evaluated.
- Proven interventions are prepared to be spread system-wide through Rural Mentored Implementations.
Read more about ORH research and quality improvement priorities for ORH-funded activities in the Office of Rural Health Research Agenda (PDF).
Rural Health - Navigation
- Enterprise-Wide Initiative (EWI) page: https://www.ruralhealth.va.gov/Enterprise-Wide-Initiatives-EWI.asp
- Veterans Rural Health Resource Center (VRHRC) page: https://www.ruralhealth.va.gov/Veterans-Rural-Health-Resource-Centers-VRHRC.asp
*Link will take Veterans outside of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) website. VA does not endorse and is not responsible for the content of the linked websites. The link will open in a new window for the content of the linked websites.
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