NC AHEC

09/10/2026

🌟 Collaboration Creates Solutions for Iredell County Providers

When a large physician network serving Iredell County and surrounding communities experienced ongoing Medicaid Managed Care claim denials tied to provider affiliation issues, finding answers required persistence, partnership, and expertise.

Working alongside Melody Josey, Credentialing Specialist for the physician network, Northwest Area Health Education Center's (NW AHEC) Practice Support coach Lara Dickerson helped conduct a detailed review of provider enrollment and PHP affiliation records. Together, they examined more than 1,000 affiliation records across 84 providers and identified 258 missing provider-to-PHP affiliations that were contributing to denied claims.

The project enabled providers to correct enrollment discrepancies, pursue claim reprocessing, and significantly reduce denials. Ultimately, this let to improved practice operations and allowed providers to focus on delivering quality patient care.

"Lara's contributions have had a lasting impact not only on our organization but also on the providers and patients we serve. The information we provided may help address a statewide issue affecting medical practices across North Carolina." -- Melody Josey

This success story showcases the power of collaboration between healthcare organizations and trusted partners. NC AHEC is proud of the important work being done in Iredell County to identify solutions that can strengthen healthcare systems locally and across North Carolina. See all the ways NC AHEC may be able to help your practice at www.ncahec.net/practice-support/what-we-do-2-2/.

09/02/2026

‼️ NC Practice Managers -- this program was built for you!
Sharpen your skills in NC AHEC's Practice Management Academy, designed to help you better manage finances, staffing, payer issues, patient experience, compliance, operations, and leadership.

Get started with the Financial Management course on September 7 for the affordable rate of $90. Created to fit your busy schedule, you can take the three 1-hour virtual sessions on your own time.

What you’ll learn:
💲 Expense Analysis & Budgets
💲 Balance Sheets & Income Statements
💲 Accounts Payable & Receivable

👉 A spot is waiting for you! Register today at www.southernregionalahec.org/pma-financial-management-2026/.

📚 Explore all courses at https://public.app.basecamp.com/p/brtbcUDECTrn4FshFXp9hRc5.

09/01/2026

🚚 Healthcare on Wheels in Randolph County
NC AHEC is proud to celebrate Hodges Family Practice, Inc. and Piedmont AHEC for their incredible collaboration to make healthcare more accessible for their community.

Through practice management and technical support, Piedmont AHEC’s Jennifer Sherrill and Megan Craig guided the team through operational planning, workflow design, and grant readiness. The result? Hodges Family Practice successfully secured a $250,000 state grant to bring "Mable" -- a first-of-its-kind mobile medical clinic -- to life! 🎉

Launched earlier this year, "Mable" delivers essential primary care, chronic disease management, and preventive care directly to rural residents, individuals experiencing homelessness, and underserved neighborhoods.

Outfitted with Starlink connectivity, integrated EMRs, and AI-assisted documentation, this clinic on wheels is breaking down transportation barriers, lowering emergency room visits, and building a healthier Randolph County! 🩺✨ Roll on!

To see all the ways NC AHEC can help your practice, visit www.ncahec.net/practice-support/what-we-do-2-2/.

08/27/2026

⚒️ Building North Carolina's Rural Health Workforce Starts with Real-World Experience

NC Department of Health and Human Services' Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP) is designed to improve access to care for more than 3 million rural North Carolinians through several initiatives, including Workforce Development.

NC AHEC is proud to play a key role in that effort by helping to expand opportunities to train and retain healthcare professionals where they are needed most. Through partnerships with health professions schools and training programs across the state, NC AHEC provides housing for students completing rural clinical rotations.

Last year alone, NC AHEC supported more than 50,000 nights of housing, helping students gain hands-on experience in rural communities while building connections that can inspire them to return and practice in those areas after graduation.

By removing barriers to rural training experiences today, we're helping create the healthcare workforce North Carolina needs for tomorrow. See more at www.ncahec.net/student-services/student-housing/ and www.ncdhhs.gov/about/department-initiatives/rural-health-transformation-program.

08/25/2026

🎉 It’s National Community Health Worker (CHW) Awareness Week (August 24–28, 2026)!

Across North Carolina, CHWs are on the front lines, bridging the gap between local communities and essential health and social services. Their dedication, trust, and deep understanding of the communities they serve make care more accessible, compassionate, and culturally connected for patients and families state-wide. 💙

To all the amazing CHWs serving North Carolina, NC AHEC thanks you! 🙌✨

To learn more about CHWs or explore the support and resources NC AHEC offers to fuel this amazing workforce, visit www.ncahec.net/practice-support/community-health-worker-program-2/.

08/20/2026

🎉 Celebrating a Milestone for Healthcare in Gaston County
A Safe Place Empowerment has officially launched as an Advanced Medical Home (AMH) Tier 2 primary care practice, expanding its ability to provide integrated, clinical, and whole-person care for individuals and families facing behavioral health challenges, substance use disorders, and other social barriers to health.

This achievement is the result of months of planning, preparation, and collaboration between ASPEN and South Piedmont Area Health Education Center's Laura Shuey. Together, they worked to develop clinical workflows, review Medicaid Managed Care agreements, and prepare for AMH Tier implementation.

By integrating medical and behavioral health services, ASPEN is creating new opportunities to improve health outcomes and better serve the needs of the Gaston County community. As ASPEN continues to build upon this success, they are working together with South Piedmont AHEC to further streamline workflows and strengthen implementation of the Collaborative Care Model.

NC AHEC congratulates the ASPEN team and all the partners who helped make this important milestone possible. We look forward to seeing the continued impact of this work! To see all the ways NC AHEC can help your practice, visit www.ncahec.net/practice-support/what-we-do-2-2/.

08/19/2026

📚 NC AHEC Library Services
🔎 DID YOU KNOW? | AHEC Digital Library (ADL): Free Resources
Did you know there are a ton of free resources in the AHEC Digital Library (ADL)? Many of them, like MedScape, MedLine Plus, and Merck Manual, can be directly accessed from the ADL Free Resources homepage at https://ncahec.libguides.com/Statewide_ADLFreeResources. Others, like Essential Evidence Plus, require you to sign into your individual account at
https://go.openathens.net/redirector/ncahec.net?url=https%3A%2F%2Fonline.statref.com%2FHome%2FResolve%3Fid%3D137469%26grpalias%3DNC-AHEC.

Need an individual account? No problem! Visit https://library.ncahec.net/howtoapply/ for complete details and instructions. Once connected, gain access to high-quality health information that supports your learning!

08/13/2026

🌟 Transforming Pediatric Behavioral Health in Winston-Salem
When pediatrician Dr. Gretchen Hoyle opened the doors of MindBridge Behavioral Health in July of this year, it marked the culmination of a promise to give back to her hometown of Winston-Salem, NC. More importantly, she answered a question that parents of children experiencing mental health challenges ask often: "Where do we go for help?"

By partnering with Northwest Area Health Education Center's Practice Support Coach Lara Dickerson, Dr. Hoyle launched the evidence-based, sustainable Collaborative Care program within the new practice to support youth navigating anxiety, ADHD, depression, and trauma. The program features:
🩺 Coordinated Care: Integrates medical treatment, behavioral health support, parent guidance, and school collaboration.
👥 Team-Based Support: Connects families with a Behavioral Health Care Manager, progress tracking, and psychiatric consultations.
🌱 Proactive Lifeline: Moves away from crisis response to continuous, long-term care where families feel heard.

"Collaborative Care represents what pediatric behavioral health should look like: evidence-based, team-based, measurement-driven, and centered around families." — Dr. Gretchen Hoyle

Kudos to Dr. Hoyle, Northwest AHEC, and the entire team for improving access to behavioral health resources for families in the Winston-Salem community and surrounding areas. 💙

📖 Read the full story at go.northwestahec.wakehealth.edu/blog/mindbridge?utm_content=383426390&utm_medium=social&utm_source=linkedin&hss_channel=lcp-8087671 and find more information about NC AHEC’s Practice Support services at www.ncahec.net/practice-support/what-we-do-2-2/.

We're proud to celebrate the success of MindBridge Behavioral Health, founded by Dr. Gretchen Hoyle to address the growing behavioral health needs of children, adolescents, and young adults in our community. Through a partnership with Northwest AHEC and Collaborative Care implementation support, Min...

08/11/2026

Are you a recent graduate from an accredited PA or FNP program in your first year of practice, or are you planning to graduate before October 1, 2026? As an Advanced Practice Provider, you may be eligible for NC AHEC's Primary Care Fellowship! This distance-based program, with two (2) in-person days, runs from October 1, 2026 to September 30, 2027 and features:
✅ Small class size
✅ No participation fee
✅ In-person workshops for hands-on skills development
✅ Professional identity and network development
✅ AAPA and ANCC category 1 credits
Applications are being accepted now through September 1, 2026. Notifications of acceptance will be made on a rolling basis. See details at www.ncahec.net/APP_fellowship and apply at www.ncahec.net/appapplication.

08/06/2026

Rural North Carolina faces critical healthcare provider shortages—and solving it takes a clear, long-term vision. That’s where NC AHEC and the NC Department of Health and Human Services' Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP) align! Both are working to build that essential rural healthcare workforce.

NC AHEC’s Health Careers program creates a pathway for students across North Carolina to become academically prepared for careers in health care. We’ve designed that pathway for a student to progress through their pre-high school and high school years (Pathways program), post high school years (NC AHEC Scholars program), and during and post college years (Student Services, AHEC Housing and Continuing Professional Development). Through education, engagement, and exploration opportunities, students learn, build skills, and make connections that foster strong and healthy futures in healthcare.

By investing in future healthcare professionals early and supporting them throughout their educational journey, we’re securing a healthier future for rural NC. See more at ncahec.net/health-careers and ncdhhs.gov/about/department-initiatives/rural-health-transformation-program.