The rural and medically underserved community continues to be challenged in efforts to recruit and retain the health professional. Piney Woods AHEC gathers information on community needs and looks for opportunities to match those needs with individuals in the east Texas region looking for employment. Piney Woods AHEC also shares their knowledge of neighboring community people resources who might provide additional services. To assist in the retention of the healthcare professional, AHEC provides information on CNE, CME, and CEU opportunities, provides professional updates on the newest medical advances, organizes and coordinates multidisciplinary conferences, and offers support for professional communication and networking.
Practice Entry and Support Programs
American Heart Association Training Center: provides Basic Life Support courses to health care professionals and community members and Advanced Cardiac Life Support courses to health care professionals. View upcoming courses on Continuing Education calendar.
Practice Management Technical Assistance Program: The goal of the program is to retain primary care practices in Rural East Texas by helping them stay in business. The program offers practice management consulting to primary care practices in the region.
The "Nurse-Friendly" Program: an initiative for Small/Rural Hospitals is an initiative to enhance patient care and retention of nurses in small and rural Texas hospitals. The Piney Woods AHEC provides technical assistance to local hospitals in their pursuit of incorporating all 12 Nurse-Friendly Hospital criteria into their policies and procedures and in preparing their application for designation as a "Nurse-Friendly Hospital" by the Texas Nurses Association.
East Texas Geriatric Education Center: provides educational opportunities and continuing education in geriatrics to clinical health professionals and faculty who teach in health professions programs, and to students in health professions in East Texas. For more information please visit ETGEC.
