What is the importance of evaluating rural health programs?  Michael Meit, director of the ETSU Center for Rural Health and Research, joined us to discuss the benefits and complications of rural health evaluation.

 If you want to be part of the conversation about rural health, join VRHA at the Rural Health Voice Conference this November  – https://vrha.org/conference2026/

What is Virginia Relay and how does it help both patients and providers? Brittany Howard of the Virginia Department for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing joined us to discuss the services they provide.

If you want to be part of the conversation about rural health, check out VRHA’s upcoming Rural Health Voice Conference in Danville, VA on November 18 & 19 – https://vrha.org/conference2026/

What is needed to support recovery? Shauna Tilson from the Appalachian Center for Hope joined us to discuss their plan to address substance use disorders in Southwest Virginia.

If you want learn more about the history and causes of Medical Mistrust and how to address it, check out the book Medical Mistrust in Appalachia.

What does it take to become a Community Health Worker? Leslie Clark from the United Way of Virginia’s Blue Ridge joined us to discuss CHW training and services.

During this episode we discuss the use of CHW’s to decrease medical mistrust. If you would like to learn more about this topic, check out the new book Medical Mistrust in Appalachia: Helping Patients and Providers Communicate with Cultural Humility, edited by Wendy Welch and Beth O’Connor.

Most of us have heard of Medical Debt – but what is Undue Medical Debt?  Dr. Eva Stahl of the Undue Medical Debt organization joined RHV to discuss what they are doing to help both patients and healthcare providers deal with medical debt.

If you want to be part of the conversation about rural health, check out the recently released book: Medical Mistrust in Appalachia. Half of the net proceeds will support VRHA.

Why would you need an occupational therapist? Savanah Howe and Tara Riddle joined the RHV podcast to discuss the need for occupational therapy in rural communities and the Virginia Occupational Therapy Association.

If you want to be part of the conversation on rural health, follow the Virginia Rural Health Association on Facebook and LinkedIn:

@varuralhealth

https://www.linkedin.com/company/varuralhealth/

What issues do Trans patients face in rural communities?  Former VRHA Board member Dove Standley and her husband Tatum joined RHV to discuss the extra precautions they have to take when seeking care.

If you want to learn more about concerns for rural Trans patients, check out Dove & Tatum’s chapter in the book: Medical Mistrust in Appalachia.

VRHA’s Pride of Rural Virginia initiative has resources for LGBTQ+ patients and healthcare providers.

How can disparities in birth outcomes be addressed? Femeika Elliot & Alexis Alsup joined RHV to discuss their work and the recommendations they have to improve maternal health.

If you want to learn more from Femeika & Alexis, check out their chapter in the upcoming book: Medical Mistrust in Appalachia – https://utpress.org/9798895270486/medical-mistrust-in-appalachia/

How did the push to standardize medicine impact public health?  Pharmacist and Herbalist Marybeth Babos joined us to discuss some of the history of medical mistrust.

If you want to learn more about Medical Mistrust, pre-order the new book Medical Mistrust in Appalachia: Helping Patients and Providers Communicate with Cultural Humility, edited by Wendy Welch and VRHA Executive Director Beth O’Connor: https://utpress.org/9798895270486/medical-mistrust-in-appalachia/

What are the gaps in Virginia’s primary care workforce?  Hannah Shadowen and Alex Krist of VCU joined me to discuss their recent research on neighborhood differences in primary care.

If you are a health professions or public policy student with an interest in rural health, apply to be a representative to the VRHA board of directors.  Applications for student board members are being accepted now: https://vrha.org/students/