Health Services

Below is a list of projects for this category:

Assuring Stakeholder Involvement at New Microbicide Research Sites.
This project will develop and evaluate a toolkit to assist in systematically assuring stakeholder involvement to support microbicide site development efforts.

Evaluating Informed Consent Comprehension
This study will use behavior-coding to investigate the effectiveness of two different informed consent comprehension instruments: (1) a comprehension checklist and (2) an open-ended comprehension tool. The consent process and administration of the checklist and tool will be videotaped, and the interactions will behavior-coded. The analysis will identify verbal and nonverbal cues for comprehension that can be used to improve comprehension during informed consent.

Medicare Rural Hospital Flexibility Program Evaluation
The Rural Health Research Centers at the Universities of Minnesota, North Carolina, and Southern Maine are conducting a performance monitoring project for the Medicare Rural Hospital Flexibility Program. The Flex Monitoring Team is assessing the impact of the Flex Program on rural hospitals and communities and the role of states in achieving overall program objectives, including 1) improving access to and the quality of health care services; 2) improving the financial performance of CAHs; and 3) engaging rural communities in health care system development. Website: http://www.flexmonitoring.org/

North Carolina Rural Health Research and Policy Analysis Center
The overall goals of this project are to extend and expand the work of the North Carolina Rural Health Research and Policy Analysis Center, in the area of Federal Insurance Programs (Medicare and Medicaid). It is our intention to strengthen our focus on the analysis of policy options to improve the health and access to health care for rural people. This year's projects focus on: 1) Implementation of Medicare Part D and Changes in CHCs' Provision of Pharmacy Services; 2) The Move Toward Clinical Doctorates in the Allied Health Professions: Implications for Rural; and 3) Volunteerism in Rural EMS. Website: http://www.shepscenter.unc.edu/research_programs/rural_program/index.html

The UNC HIV Prevention Demonstration Project
This demonstration project is to develop an HIV prevention with positives program that includes a web-based tool and specialist delivered counseling.