Celebrating 20 Years of Practice Support at Northwest AHEC

Two decades of partnership, adaptability, and practice transformation across Northwest North Carolina

For twenty years, Practice Support at Northwest Area Health Education Center (AHEC) has worked alongside primary care practices, health departments, community health centers, and regional partners to strengthen care delivery across Northwest North Carolina.

What began as hands‑on assistance for practicing clinicians has grown into a core service line—one defined by long‑term relationships, responsiveness to change, and a sustained commitment to helping practices navigate complexity while keeping patient care at the center.

The early years: building trust and practical support

Practice Support emerged during a period when independent and community‑based practices were facing increasing administrative, clinical, and technology demands. Early efforts focused on meeting practices where they were—providing direct, practical assistance that complemented Northwest AHEC’s longstanding strengths in continuing professional development and workforce education.

From the beginning, the work emphasized trust, accessibility, and relevance. Rather than offering one‑size‑fits‑all solutions, Practice Support staff partnered with practices to understand their workflows, constraints, and goals, helping them respond to evolving expectations without losing sight of patient needs.

Becoming a core Northwest AHEC service line

By the early 2010s, Practice Support had become a formally recognized core service of Northwest AHEC. Annual reports from this period reflect its growing role alongside other essential AHEC functions, signaling both expansion in scope and clarity of purpose.

During this phase, Practice Support increasingly focused on:

• Quality improvement initiatives tied to payer and regulatory requirements
• Workflow redesign to support efficiency and sustainability
• Electronic health record optimization and meaningful use
• Supporting practices through ongoing health system and policy changes

This shift marked an important transition—from episodic technical assistance to sustained partnership. Practice Support was no longer supplemental; it was central to how Northwest AHEC supported the practicing health care workforce.

“I wanted to give a BIG shout‑out to our AHEC folks. They are valuable resources for us, so if you don’t know who your people are—find out. A special shout‑out to our Northwest AHEC team, who recently assisted us with valuable training for my staff. They worked with us to determine our needs and delivered practical training and tactics on how to handle disruptive patients and navigate uncomfortable situations while maintaining professionalism and continuing to care for our patients—and most importantly, our staff. Once again, thank you, Lara and Medina.”

— Melissa H. White, Practice Administrator, Newton Family Physicians, P.A.

Expanding capacity and deepening partnerships

As health care delivery models continued to evolve, Practice Support expanded its capacity to meet growing demand. Engagement shifted from short‑term problem solving to long‑term collaboration, helping practices build internal systems and confidence rather than simply responding to immediate challenges.

Practices worked with Practice Support on a wide range of issues, including:

• Quality reporting and performance measurement
• Patient‑centered medical home (PCMH) and Advanced Medical Home (AMH) work
• Care gap identification and closure
• Attribution management and payer communication
• Practice workflows affected by staffing and technology changes

This period reinforced the importance of consistency—having a knowledgeable, trusted partner who understood both policy expectations and day‑to‑day practice realities.

“Working directly with rural health centers reminds us that meaningful practice support starts with listening. By spending time onsite—reviewing data, understanding community needs, and planning next steps together—we’re able to support practices in ways that are practical, collaborative, and grounded in the realities they face every day.”

— Medina Wilson, Senior Practice Support Quality Improvement Specialist, Northwest AHEC

Adaptation during disruption

Periods of disruption—whether driven by policy shifts, technology changes, or public health emergencies—highlighted a defining characteristic of Practice Support: adaptability.

Even as practice environments changed rapidly, Practice Support remained focused on continuity, helping practices adjust workflows, maintain quality initiatives, and stay connected to regional and statewide partners. Virtual engagement and customized support allowed practices to continue progress toward goals despite unprecedented challenges.

Medicaid transformation and whole‑person care

In the early 2020s, Practice Support’s role increasingly intersected with Medicaid transformation and whole‑person care initiatives. Documented work during this period reflects support for new workflows, quality projects, and approaches that bridged clinical care, operations, and community resources.

Practice Support helped practices translate complex policy changes into actionable steps—supporting both compliance and sustainability while keeping the focus on patient care.

Practice Support today: integrated, regional, and responsive

By the mid‑2020s, Practice Support Services were clearly identified as a core, integrated component of Northwest AHEC’s strategy. Work during this period reflects broad regional reach and collaboration with independent practices, federally qualified health centers, rural health clinics, and health departments.

The emphasis is not only on scale, but on depth—maintaining long‑term relationships that allow Practice Support to respond quickly and effectively as practice needs evolve.

Looking ahead: the next chapter

Twenty years into this work, Practice Support at Northwest AHEC continues to evolve—shaped by health system transformation, policy change, and the voices of the practices it serves.

What has remained constant is a commitment to partnership: meeting practices where they are, building trust over time, and translating complexity into clear, actionable support. As Northwest AHEC looks ahead, Practice Support’s future will continue to be written in collaboration with the practices and communities that make this work possible.