University of Florida

Providers in medically underserved areas often suffer from a sense of professional isolation. Rural providers, in particular, lack the benefits of a local provider network and have less access than their urban counterparts to professional development opportunities. AHEC has become an important support mechanism for north Florida providers by offering them continuing education programs, access to library resources, and the opportunity to become involved in the education of health professions students. AHEC's continuing education and information services help health-care professionals stay current in their fields, assure high-quality care and meet licensing requirements.

 Each AHEC offers specially tailored continuing education programs for providers in rural and underserved areas, often in response to specific requests from the local medical community or in cooperation with health departments, community health centers or other health-related agencies. From school health nurses to physicians to nursing home personnel, primary-care providers have come to depend on AHEC's continuing education programs to help them meet licensure requirements and stay abreast of advances in their fields. These providers save time and money by being able to attend AHEC continuing education programs without leaving their communities, and often without even leaving the workplace.

 No matter how far they are from a medical library, providers throughout north Florida are just a phone call away from the University of Florida Health Science Center Library thanks to AHEC's library services program. By calling their local AHEC with a literature search or document delivery request, AHEC affiliates can tap into the library's vast holdings and database network. A Health Science Center librarian will search through the medical literature to find the specific bibliographic citations that best relate to the provider's practice, or even to a specific patient, and within as little as 24 hours the requested information will be in the provider's hands.

In addition to library and continuing education services, AHEC functions as a creative problem-solver and information resource for health-care facilities in rural and underserved areas. Whether it be a matter of writing grants, locating resources in a given community, or tapping into expertise at the academic health center, AHEC frequently assists community facilities looking to maintain, expand and enhance services.