Arizona: Partnering Toward Success

The 54 organizational members that make up 3RNet across the country are unique for many reasons.  All of our members work for government agencies or non-profit organizations, but collectively their composition varies. Some members work for State Offices of Rural Health, others are part of their state’s Primary Care Association, State Departments of Health or stand-alone non-profit organizations.

Whatever organization holds the 3RNet membership for their state, it’s always great to hear when they work closely with other organizations who share our mission of improving access to health care in rural and underserved areas across the country. One example of an outstanding partnership comes from our members in Arizona.

The Arizona 3RNet membership is divided among the following organizations:

• The Arizona Center for Rural Health (Arizona’s State Office of Rural Health),
• The Arizona Department of Health Services in the Bureau of Health Systems Development (Arizona’s Primary Care Office), and
• The Arizona Alliance for Community Health Centers (Arizona’s Primary Care Association).

These organizations started what they call their “enhanced collaboration” with 3RNet in 2012.  Joyce Hospodar with the Center for Rural Health said, “We each were focused on meeting the needs of recruiting and retaining health professionals in the rural and underserved areas of our state. We shared a common understanding of those needs in our state, and we believe that working together and sharing the national 3RNet resource works best for all.”

Their efforts have certainly paid off. Hospodar shared that as a result of this partnership, the enhanced collaboration in marketing 3RNet in Arizona and what it has to offer has increased the number of facilities registering from 50 in 2012 to 118 in 2015. Consequently this growth has increased the number of position openings posted on the site. Most importantly, the organizations have collectively succeeded in placing providers in Arizona! The Center for Rural Health does not directly place candidates (meaning they do not individually call candidates and work with them to place them at a facility) but both the Arizona Primary Care Office and the Arizona Primary Care Association have been able to succeed in direct placements, which is a huge benefit to the partners, the state, and 3RNet!

It’s inspiring for us to hear when different organizations come together like this. Arizona is a great example of how collaborating can benefit everyone: the partners, our association as a whole, and especially health professionals who want to work in their state but are looking for some help reaching that goal. In Arizona’s case, the team they’ve created is together doing what couldn’t be done alone, and we’re proud to share the success they have achieved.