Homewood, Ala.-based Ida Moffett School of Nursing at Samford University received a $3.5 million federal grant to place nurse practitioner graduates in underserved rural areas for primary care residency, according to Alabama NewsCenter.
HHS' four-year grant will fund Ida Moffett's first in-house residency program. The program will prioritize topics relevant to rural areas such as value-based care, telehealth technology, obesity and mental health, according to Stephanie Wynn, DNP, RN, a grant manager and Ida Moffett professor. Telehealth will be particularly important for increasing patients' access to healthcare in remote areas.
The first cohort of 10 NPs will provide much-needed relief when they start their residencies on July 1, 2020: Only two of Alabama's 55 rural counties have the minimum number of recommended providers.