Veterans Rural Health Improvement Act of 2011 - Directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA), through the Director of the Office of Rural Health (ORH) within the Office of the Under Secretary for Health, to establish and operate at least one and up to five centers of excellence for rural health research, education, and clinical activities, including: (1) research on furnishing health services in rural areas, (2) development of specific models to be used by the VA in furnishing health services to veterans in such areas, (3) education and training for VA health care professionals, and (4) development and implementation of clinical activities and systems.
Requires clinical and scientific investigation activities at each such center to: (1) be eligible to compete for awards from funds appropriated for the Medical and Prosthetics Research Account, and (2) receive priority in the award of funding from such account to the extent that funds are awarded to projects for research in the care of rural veterans.
Recognizes as purposes of veterans rural health resource centers that serve as satellite offices for the ORH the: (1) identification of disparities in the availability of health care to veterans living in rural areas, (2) formulation of practices or programs to deliver such health care, and (3) development and implementation of special practices and products for the benefit of such veterans.