Oregon Flex State Profile

The Oregon Flex Program conducts the majority of quality improvement activities through collaborative relationships and established CAH networks, such as the Oregon Rural Healthcare Quality Network (ORHQN). The ORHQN is a quality and performance improvement network of Oregon’s 25 critical access hospitals (CAHs).

The Oregon Flex Program provides funding to ORHQN for training and education to Oregon’s CAHs for TeamSTEPPS, Lean performance improvement and other quality and patient safety initiatives.

The Oregon Flex Program will also continue to support the development and implementation of the emergency medical services (EMS) web-based system and utilize the data gathered to shape future EMS quality improvement trainings. The Oregon Flex Program provides funding to the State EMS office for their Pediatric Simulation Project. 

Another focus area for Oregon’s Flex Program’s quality improvement activities is health information technology (HIT), which is a top priority for Oregon CAHs.  The Oregon Flex Program partners closely with the hospital association to support CAHs with implementing electronic health records (EHRs) and creating community health information exchanges (HIEs).

Finally, the Oregon Flex Program partners closely with the Oregon Patient Safety Commission and the hospital association to reduce health care acquired infections in CAHs.

The Oregon Association of Hospitals and Health Systems (OAHHS) Small and Rural Hospital Committee (SRC) established the Rural Health Reform Initiative (RHRI) to prepare Oregon’s 32 type A/B hospitals for transformational changes.

This RHRI has two primary goals; 1) Sustaining rural hospitals and providers: Preserving access to local health care services for rural Oregonians through sustainable state and federal funding for type A/B hospitals and health systems; and, 2) Prepare for the future: Take the steps necessary to design and implement new models of care delivery and reimbursement for rural hospitals.

The RHRI is a multi-year, multi-stakeholder strategic initiative that will sustain and support Oregon’s rural hospitals and preserve local access to quality care for rural Oregonians. Initial RHRI Objectives:

Build knowledge

• Create a RHRI webpage that includes a library of resources..

Technical and research assistance provided through workgroups

• Establish collaborative learning peer groups for data analysis.
• Measures and Metrics: facilitated development of performance metrics that demonstrate value and support sustainable rural care delivery.
• Performance improvement: creating actionable information and metrics for improvement.

Innovation and growth:

• Facilitating informed decision-making around the design and implementation of new models of care delivery and reimbursement.

The Oregon Flex Program supports CAHs in developing effective community benefits programs by providing research data and on-site technical assistance and effectively engaging community stakeholders. ORH strengthens and supports existing programs by facilitating community engagement activities; including community health needs assessments, planning, and improvement activities. We partner with the state hospital association to assist CAHs in implementing community accountability programs and consistent reporting of community benefit activities. The result of these community planning and assessment activities enable CAHs to better meet the needs of the community, and as a result enhance the health of their community. 

The Oregon Flex Program is committed to strengthening EMS services as an important component of collaborative delivery systems. We facilitate stronger and more meaningful relationships between EMS agencies and their medical directors. We provide technical assistance to improve business practices and increase EMS personnel effectiveness.  We provide monthly EMS and trauma based continuing education webinars to rural emergency medical technicians (EMTs) and trauma coordinators.