Kentucky Office of Rural Health Receives MediStar Award
The Kentucky Office of Rural Health (KORH) recently received the Excellence in Education Award, one of the annual MediStar Awards given to health care organizations and professionals in Kentucky and southern Indiana by IGE Media, publisher of the Medical News.
The award is presented to an organization that takes creative approaches to developing and implementing programs that enhance the level of knowledge, and educational and career opportunities for health care professionals.
Ten organizations were nominated for the award this year.
“Being selected as the recipient of the Excellence in Education Award is a great honor and a testament to the hard work and creativity demonstrated by our entire staff,” said KORH Director Ernie Scott. “The educational programming that our office offers to rural stakeholders throughout Kentucky — whether they’re clinicians, clinic and hospital administrators, local health department staff, EMS professionals, health professions students, staff at other health and wellness-oriented nonprofits, or general community members — seeks to fill knowledge and training gaps and, as a result, helps those individuals and organizations to improve the health of their communities.”
KORH annually hosts the Kentucky Telehealth Summit and Kentucky Rural Health Clinic Summit, and offers face-to-face and webinar-based trainings on a range of topics: from grant writing, quality improvement and clinic regulations to leadership development, loan repayment and scholarship opportunities for health professions students, and, this year, COVID-19 related guidance. KORH also recently began the Kentucky EMS Leadership Academy, which is designed to provide the Commonwealth’s EMS professionals with the knowledge and skills necessary to help them succeed in leadership roles — now or in the future.
“Congratulations to the KORH team,” said Dr. Fran Feltner, the director of the University of Kentucky Center of Excellence in Rural Health, which serves as the federally-designated Kentucky Office of Rural Health. “Even in midst of a pandemic, the team continues to provide health care organizations and individuals education, training and assistance to build individual and community capacity. Their dedication and the work they do at the local, state and national level is truly strengthening the health care workforce and improving the health and well-being of the people we serve.”
Since 2007, IGE Media has recognized excellence in the business of health care through its annual MediStar Awards. The awards honor health care professionals for their achievements in advocacy, innovation, education, leadership and aging care. Awards are also provided to a physician and nurse of the year.
The Kentucky Office of Rural Health (KORH), established in 1991, is a federal-state partnership authorized by federal legislation. The UK Center of Excellence in Rural Health, located in Hazard, serves as the federally-designated Kentucky Office of Rural Health. KORH works directly with clinicians, clinic and hospital administrators, policymakers and other stakeholders to improve the accessibility of health care services for the Commonwealth’s rural and underserved residents. The office connects communities and health care organizations to local, state and federal resources while working toward long-term solutions to financial, quality improvement and workforce challenges.
