WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senators Jim Risch (R-Idaho) and Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), and U.S. Representatives Mike Simpson (R-Idaho) and Russ Fulcher (R-Idaho) sent a letter to United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Sonny Perdue urging the agency to approve Dr. Ruiling Guo’s application to fund a distance-learning project on the practice of evidence-based management in rural hospitals in the state of Idaho at Idaho State University.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly affected all Americans. Idahoans are no exception," the letter read in part. “Dr. Guo and the team at Idaho State University will use the distance learning telemedicine funds to provide a distance-learning program on evidence-based management for rural hospital administrators and frontline health workers. Health administrators, frontline healthcare professionals, and healthcare administration students will participate in this project to gain the necessary knowledge to identify health problems in rural communities and implement solutions based on the best available scientific evidence.”

Full text of the letter is available here and below:

Dear Secretary Perdue:

The Idaho Congressional Delegation is pleased to support Dr. Ruiling Guo’s Distance Learning and Telemedicine Program application to fund a distance-learning project on the practice of evidence-based management in rural hospitals in the state of Idaho.

The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly affected all Americans.  Idahoans are no exception.  Rural hospitals in Idaho are facing huge challenges in keeping their doors open to provide quality care for the residents in our rural communities.  To mitigate the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic and provide the care our rural residents need, Dr. Guo and the team at Idaho State University will use the distance learning telemedicine funds to provide a distance-learning program on evidence-based management for rural hospital administrators and frontline health workers.  Health administrators, frontline healthcare professionals, and healthcare administration students will participate in this project to gain the necessary knowledge to identify health problems in rural communities and implement solutions based on the best available scientific evidence.  Over 180,000 rural residents across the state of Idaho will be served through this project.

Additionally, Idaho currently faces a shortage of healthcare professionals.  We are pleased that our students from rural Idaho who are pursuing a degree in healthcare administration at Idaho State University will be able to participate in this proposed project.  Students will have an opportunity to learn and grow with rural hospital administrators to become qualified healthcare administrators and medical managers.

The knowledge and skills gained from this evidence-based management distance-training program will greatly help rural hospital administrators and healthcare workers better cope with the COVID-19 pandemic and save lives in Idaho’s rural communities.

We urge the U.S. Department of Agriculture to give this application all due consideration.

Sincerely,

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