Image Opioid Stewardship Programs in Rural Arizona April 29, 2025 Opioid Stewardship Programs (OSPs) are a suite of tools to address substance misuse. Dr. Bridget Murphy, Assistant Research Professor at the University of Arizona Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health, aims to advance OSPs in rural areas. Read more
Reporting from the front lines of rural health — before it’s too late April 23, 2025 Profile of Kaiser Family Foundation Health News' Rural Health Desk. Editor and Publisher Magazine
Image Medicaid funding at risk: How will Arizonans be affected? April 21, 2025 Experts say millions of low-income people in the U.S. stand to lose their health insurance under Congressional Republicans' proposed budget for next year, which would end most federal support for Medicaid and shift costs to the states, who simply can not absorb the shortfall. "I estimate that probably 520,000 Arizonans that are currently covered by Medicaid will lose coverage," said University of Arizona associate vice president Dr. Daniel Derksen, director of the Arizona Center for Rural Health. "That's substantial. You're not saving money when you throw people off of coverage. You're just shifting the cost." Dr. Derksen quoted in Daily Wildcat
Image Health care needs in Border Communities April 17, 2025 Dr. Derksen cited in ProPublica article discussing impacts of health care professional shortages for small rural community hospitals. Continue Reading the article from ProPublica
Image Dr Derksen quoted in article on migrant health care March 27, 2025 In a look at the cost of health care for migrants in Arizona, Dr. Derksen weighs in on the hidden cost of not providing care. Read more
Image Green Valley feels national doctor shortage March 21, 2025 According to the University of Arizona’s Center for Rural Health, Arizona is ranked 42nd in the nation when it comes to the number of licensed PCPs per capita. For every 100,000 residents, the state has 80. Even the national number — 94 — is woefully inadequate and is getting worse, experts say. Dr. Derksen quoted in Green Valley News Read more
Image Arizona’s public health feels the weight of federal orders March 10, 2025 Dr. Derksen quoted in article on possible funding cuts to federal programs. Derksen said he is very anxious about the Affordable Care Act expiring in December and the talks of the potential cuts to the Federal Medical Assistance Percentage (FMAP), a formula that decides how much the federal government reimburses each state for Medicaid expenditures relative to the average per capita income. Read more
Image The University of Arizona College of Nursing Nurse Midwife Program and the Center for Rural Health Team Up to Improve Maternal Health with Labor and Delivery Skills in Rural Arizona Feb. 27, 2025 A Training program was developed through a collaboration between the Arizona Medicare Rural Hospital Flexibility Program (AzFLEX) at the Arizona Center for Rural Health (AzCRH) and the Nurse Midwife Program at the College of Nursing at the University of Arizona. In order to improve maternal healthcare skills in rural Arizona, the training builds skills for providers who practice in maternal health deserts and high need areas where distances to labor and delivery services can be many miles away. Read more
Image Primary Care Physician Workforce Development Summit Addressed Current Challenges Feb. 7, 2025 Dr. Derksen spoke at Primary Care Physician Workforce Development Summit at the U of A College of Medicine - Phoenix, quoted in article. Read more
Image Arizona invests in program to help reduce the critical shortage of primary physicians Jan. 13, 2025 the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has awarded a $3.9 million grant to the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix. This funding will enhance primary care and rural health training opportunities, focusing on underserved communities across the state. Read more