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UA Rural Health Office celebrates national honors

The University of Arizona Rural Health Office celebrated recent honors Friday for their continuing work along the border and the appointment of its director as president-elect of the national organization.

The celebration, which drew about 30 people, commenced with the award ribbon cutting by Dr. Augusto Ortiz, medical director.

The office, which emerged out of the Department of Family and Community Medicine 13 years ago, was awarded the Outstanding State Program Award at the Annual Conference of the National Organization of State Offices of Rural Health on Sept. 18.

According to the NOSORH, the UA Rural Health Office has made "broad contributions to rural health in its state and region, with one of the most diversified programs in the United States."

Dr. Andrew Nichols, UA Rural Health Office director who was also elected NOSORH president at the September conference, said the award is in "appreciation for what work has been done for the state, country, and the world."

For years, the office has been a model program for the entire rural health industry, according to Alison Hughes, UA Rural Health Office associate director.

"We have been ahead of the game, and on the cutting edge of research," Hughes said.

The office has had an international impact as well, serving people of 31 countries on six continents.

According to Hughes, the main focuses of the office are on research, intervention, and education.

The office is known nationally for its work on border health issues, including enrolling many impoverished children in a health insurance program, Hughes said.

Locally, the UA Rural Health office has worked closely with various American Indian reservation officials to improve the health of their people.

The office has undertaken a comprehensive tobacco education program recently, with advertisements running in various media outlets.

The UA Rural Health Office was instrumental in developing a statewide partnership for the administration of a Critical Access Hospital Program, which is "designed to keep small, rural hospitals from closing," through grant money.

Annually, the office receives about $2 million in outside grants, and $500,000 in state money.

In addition to the national honor, Nichols was elected president-elect of the NOSORH at the September conference, which was held in Washington, D.C.

He will assume duties as president of the national organization Jan. 1, 2001.