Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #106747

Pamela N. Clarke, MPH, PhD; FAAN, Fay W. Whitney School of Nursing, University of Wyoming, Dept. 3065, 1000 E. University Drive, Laramie, WY 82071, (307) 766-6566, pclarke@uwyo.edu

Economic incentives tend to drive medical care and families need professional help to sort through the myriad of available alternatives. Rural health issues are complicated by distance, accessibility issues, cost and limited outreach. A statewide assessment in a rural/ frontier state demonstrated a serious lack of preventive and health promotion services for high cost users. The need for a new system of care was evident. The theoretical approach for the new service model is based on an interdisciplinary model using the new Clinical Nurse Leader (CNL) role with a focus on population outcomes. The team design offers holistic care for the highest risk persons using home visiting, empowerment, motivational interviewing and a consumer-driven plan of care to improve health and reduce costs in the target population. The CNL role was based on selected principles of leadership and is evaluated for its impact on the health of the target group. The new role is based on leadership principles, systems skills and a population-based approach to assist rural high-risk clients/ families in efficiently negotiating complex systems of care. The CNL leads the team and acts as systems negotiators using a community-based and a community-health approach. We are using the CNL as a new service model designed to improve care and lower costs as well as focus on prevention and public health outcomes. The author(s) will present elements of the change process in health care, education (nursing and pharmacy curricula), and implementation at the local, state and national levels.

Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of this session the participant will be able to

• Identify the key elements of the Clinical Nurse Leader model in the community.
• Discuss the public health theoretical underpinnings for the new role.
• Describe the potential cost savings of this new provider for all populations.
• Debate the potential for use of the CNL in all settings.

Keywords: Access to Care, Community Health

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.

Recorded presentation