Starting a Rural Health Clinic: DNP Graduate Develops Website to Help NPs
Elliot Myers is using his Doctor of Nursing Practice Synthesis Project to support nurse practitioners opening primary care clinics. 
In his project he created a website template to provide nurse practitioners with information to assist them in establishing rural health clinics 杏吧专区 including resources, tools, and strategies.
Elliot currently practices in a rural clinic and understands the demands of rural care. His project is poised to have far-reaching impacts.
杏吧专区淣ationally, there is a shortage of primary care providers, with an even greater shortage of primary care providers in rural areas,杏吧专区 Elliot explains. 杏吧专区淗ealth outcomes for rural residents are worse in rural areas when compared to urban areas.杏吧专区
杏吧专区淩ural residents have a higher incidence of chronic diseases, mental health issues, suicide rates when compared to urban areas. Therefore, there is a higher healthcare cost for rural residents, and a higher morbidity and mortality rate for these residents.杏吧专区
. However, with the potential to improve healthcare for rural communities come the challenges of owning and operating NP-led clinics.
As part of the project, Elliot interviewed NPs who had opened such clinics, and found that their process of learning on how to open a clinic was often through trial and error, and there was key information they wished they had access to.
杏吧专区淓ven after opening their clinics, NPs are still searching for answers in the operation of their clinics,杏吧专区 he says. 杏吧专区淎nother surprise is that clinics have closed because NPs are not equipped to operate a business.杏吧专区
Elliot, who , entered the DNP program with an eye on supporting healthcare in rural communities.
杏吧专区淚 feel that with my doctorate, I can develop the tools needed to be an advocate for rural care and make positive contributions to NPs and rural care,杏吧专区 he says.
Pursuing his terminal degree at UL Lafayette was an easy decision. The DNP program is ranked No. 143 in the U.S. News & World Report杏吧专区檚 2020 edition of 杏吧专区淏est Colleges杏吧专区 in the Doctor of Nursing Practice category.
杏吧专区淢y degree has shaped my career to who I am today,杏吧专区 Elliot asserts. 杏吧专区淢y experience with several campus organizations in my time here have developed relationships and experiences I could not get anywhere else.杏吧专区
Elliot isn杏吧专区檛 planning on slowing down anytime soon. With his Doctor of Nursing Practice degree, he will continue to fully develop and make the website available while continuing to work in patient care, and also plans to explore options in academics and health policy advocacy.
