Learning Never Stops

By Colleen Sholar, MD

Clearwater Valley Health strives to be a leader in rural healthcare. Providing care in a rural setting brings unique challenges, but it also offers meaningful opportunities for growth and innovation. One of the ways we stay current with the rapidly evolving field of medicine is through a strong commitment to teaching and participation in research.

Many of our staff and community members have been involved in teaching over the years. We regularly host medical students, physician assistant (PA) students, and family medicine residents, and we have now trained four rural family medicine physicians at CVH. Welcoming learners into our clinical setting keeps us engaged, sharp, and aligned with evolving standards of care. Teaching benefits everyone involved—after all, we are all learners at some point—and we hope patients recognize that by receiving care here, they are also helping to train the next generation of healthcare professionals.

In partnership with the University of Washington, our community also has opportunities to contribute to academic research aimed at improving medical care. Currently, CVH serves as the rural site for a study through the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences examining the role of mindfulness in managing chronic pain among individuals with a history of trauma. This study allows our staff to apply an innovative, brief mindfulness-based intervention with the goal of improving chronic pain outcomes without the use of medication. A second study site in Boise is evaluating whether there are differences in outcomes between rural and urban settings.

Another research opportunity available to community members focuses on the experience of living with heart failure. This study involves a series of questionnaires for individuals with heart failure, whether their ejection fraction has recovered or remains low. Heart disease is a common condition, and insights from those living with it can help healthcare systems better understand where support and resources are most needed.

Studies such as these provide our staff with access to new knowledge and treatment approaches while offering community members the opportunity to participate in innovative care options at no cost, close to home.

Learning is a lifelong process, and we proudly embrace ongoing education, teaching, and research to help Clearwater Valley Health continue to lead in rural healthcare.