RHPC does not provide direct patient services but does contract with and support community health centers and oral health programs throughout NH.  RHPC also offers technical assistance and support to primary care providers and hospitals to improve access to quality health care services for NH's vulnerable populations.

The State Office of Rural Health, the Rural Hospital Flexibility Program, the Primary Care Office and the Loan Repayment Program receive federal funds through various grants from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA).  While these grants are the primary fund source for RHPC initiatives, HRSA sometimes requires NH to match the federal grant with NH general funds in order for NH to receive the federal funds. Match requirements vary from 10% to 50%.

The Oral Health Program is funded primarily through the Preventive Health and Health Services block grant from the Centers for Disease Control.  Some NH general funds are provided as well.

You may find out if the area you live in is medically underserved by calling RHPC.  Information is also available from the Health Resources and Services Administration at:

• Medically Underserved Areas/Medically Underserved Populations (MUA/MUP) Database

Yes.  There are specific designations for primary care services, dental services, mental health services, and less specific medically underserved areas and medically underserved populations.

The basic criteria for the program includes a willingness to work in an underserved area and to utilize a sliding fee schedule for patient reimbursements.  Contact the NH Recruitment Center at (603) 229-1852 or NH Recruitment Center with specific questions or application requests.

A Critical Access Hospital is a small rural hospital that must meet specific federal and state criteria.  This includes keeping the acute care inpatient census to fewer than 15 beds, staffing no more than 10 swing beds, and maintaining an average length of stay of less than 96 hours per patient.  Critical Access Hospitals are part of the larger Medicare Rural Hospital Flexibility Program included in the federal Balanced Budget Act of 1997.

As of Summer, 2003 six NH hospitals qualified as Critical Access Hospitals: Upper Connecticut Valley Hospital in Colebrook, Weeks Medical Center in Lancaster, Alice Peck Day Memorial Hospital in Lebanon, Littleton Regional Hospital in Littleton, New London Hospital in New London and Cottage Hospital in Woodsville.

Many communities have Community Health Centers that offer quality medical services regardless of ability to pay.  

For a listing of J-1 Visa Waiver eligible physicians looking for employment within NH contact the Recruitment Center at (603) 229-1852.  Once contact has been made between a potential employer and an applicant, the application should be readied and submitted to the RHPC office.