AHEC Recruitment and Retention Community (ARRC) Model

The ARRC Model allows Texas AHEC East - Capital Region to engage your community in economic development through health workforce planning using best practices to improve access to healthcare within our 8 county region. Best practices of other counties can be found on the Texas AHEC East ARRC Model website.. The following describes the basic outline of the ARRC Model.

Step 1: Form a team of "healthcare champions" within your community/county

1. Help us identify and bring together those in your community that are interested in improving access to healthcare.
2. These healthcare champions will form short, medium and long range healthcare goals for your community. Texas AHEC East - Capital Region will assist this group in defining health workforce and health service needs.
3. The group should plan to meet throughout the year to continually review progress.

Step 2: Address short range healthcare goals

1. Short term goals are your most immediate staffing needs. Texas AHEC East - Capital Region will refer our counties to resources that will assist in recruiting health professionals.
2. Texas AHEC East - Capital Region will introduce you to programs such as the J-1 Visa Waiver program and the National Health Service Corps which can assist in supplying physicians, nurse practitioners and PAs to your county.

Step 3: Address meduium range healthcare goals

1. Texas AHEC East - Capital Region will promote the placement of healthcare profession students within your community for learning experiences as a recruitment strategy.
2. We will introduce you to programs such as the J-1 Visa Waiver program and the National Health Service Corps which can assist in supplying physicians, nurse practitioners and PAs to your county.
3. We will suggest community sponsorship of healthcare students. This will give you the opportunity to promote your community to these students
4. We will maintain relationships with promising students interested in living and working in your community.

Step 4: Address the long term goals

1. We will assist you in locating and or creating opportunities within your area to identify those young adult with an interest in healthcare careers. Examples are groups like the Boy Scouts of America’s Healthcare Explorers, healthcare related summer camps, and school based clubs.
2. We will assist your R&R team in coming up with a graduated incentives and support plan to nurture these students through their scholastic endeavors and back into your community/hospital.

This model is more work than just picking up the phone and calling in a private headhunting firm, but the end results will be far better (and cheaper) for your hospital, community, and healthcare professionals, and we are excited to be your partner in the process.