Network Development

Establishing a rural health network is a condition of participation for the Rural Hospital Flexibility Program, and a majority of State Flex Programs require network formation for every CAH. Network activities include patient transfer agreements, quality assurance or improvement activities, referral arrangements, specialty services, and administration. These networking activities foster economy of scale and integration of effort, as well as expand access to resources such as medical information and telecommunications.

             Tools Resources Organizations

Tools

Agreement for Professional Emergency Services
This document, developed by the Dr. John Warner Hospital in Clinton IL, is a cost-based agreement between a hospital and a provider of emergency medical services for emergency room coverage in critical access hospitals.

Ambulance Services Networking Initiative
This tool, developed by the South Dakota Department of Health, Office of Rural Health, is used to identify ambulance services and prioritize assistance based on need in order to improve the statewide ambulance network.

CAH Telehealth Network
This statement, developed by the Illinois Department of Public Health, Center for Rural Health, describes the approach being taken to promote and implement telemedicine using an existing network serving local government, public schools, libraries, and universities.

Emergency Preparedness: Integrated Community Solutions (EPICS)
This document describes a project in the State of Indiana that addresses how entire communities can organize themselves to prepare for emergencies by making strategic use of telecommunications and information technology.

Physician's Web Portal
This document is a grant application for a web portal that will bring several clinical support systems together. The portal will provide secure, online access to patient information, lab and pathology results, and radiology reports. It will also provide online libraries for physician's reference. For a copy of this document, send email to Larry Baronner.

Sample Network Agreement
This agreement, developed by the Nebraska Hospital Association, covers CAH patient referrals and transfers, transportation, communication systems, credentialing and quality assurance.

Resources

Local Networking Strategies used by Critical Access Hospitals
This chapter of the Rural Hospital Flexibility Program Tracking Project Year 2 Report looks at local community networking activities in State Flex Programs.

Organizations

The Academy for Health Services Research and Health Policy
This site contains six network development publications on topics including strategic planning, network management and shared service collaborations.

The Network Development Technical Assistance Program (TAP)
The Network Development Technical Assistance Program (TAP) located at the Georgia Health Policy Center at Georgia State University assists Office of Rural Health network development and network planning grantees with information, tools, resources and onsite technical assistance.

Rural Wisconsin Health Cooperative
This site contains resources for developing coordinated systems of rural health care and provides several examples of how networking can benefit rural hospitals.