National Rural Health Resource Center | National Rural Health Resource Center

Community & Population Health
Community support of the local health care system is vital for sustainability and growth. Learn how to create a healthier and more engaged community by working with The Center.

Health Information Technology Consulting
As the national knowledge center on rural electronic health record adoption, The Center offers comprehensive services targeted at rural hospitals, rural health clinics and state and national HIT programs.

Leadership
Success begins with strong, informed leadership. The Center offers a variety of services, on-site and remotely, to leaders to assess strengths and identify areas of useful performance improvement.

Workforce
The Center understands that rural health care facilities face unique workforce challenges. Since 1991, The Center has assisted rural citizens, health professionals, educators and policymakers with design and implementation strategies to assure the availability of quality health care.

Strategic Planning
Effective planning is critical for organizational success. Expertly facilitated services conducted by The Center’s staff of national rural health experts will help hospitals and organizations achieve this success.

Performance Improvement
The Center offers a complete spectrum of rural health performance improvement services. With support from The Center, clients succeed in aligning people, processes and resources with their mission.

Technical Assistance & Services Center (TASC)
Since 1999, the Technical Assistance and Services Center (TASC) has provided information, tools and education to critical access hospitals (CAHs) and to 45 state Flex Programs to improve quality, finances, operations, health system development and community engagement.

Small Rural Hospital Improvement Grant Program (SHIP)
The Small Rural Hospital Improvement Grant Program (SHIP) provides funding to approximately 1,600 participating hospitals in 46 participating State Offices of Rural Health (SORH) to help small rural hospitals participate in value-based payment and care delivery models.

See all programs (including previous projects) >

Network Technical Assistance (TA)
RHI provides technical assistance (TA) to over 60 networks in the Development and Allied Health rural health network grant programs.

Small Rural Hospital Transition (SRHT) Project
The Small Rural Hospital Transition (SRHT) Project supports small rural hospitals nationally by providing on-site technical assistance to assist bridging the gaps between the current health care system and the newly emerging health care delivery and payment system.

Associates Program
The Rural Health Innovations (RHI) Associates Program is designed to connect health care organizations and networks with highly qualified rural consultants and technical experts.

Events
Find information about upcoming webinars, workshops and more hosted by The Center or Rural Health Innovations.

Health Education and Learning Program (HELP) Webinars
Eligible rural hospital leaders and staff can attend a HELP webinar to learn about current financial, operational and quality performance needs that impact their transition to the new health care environment.

Performance Management Group (PMG) Calls
Learn from the experience of leading hospital administrators and nationally recognized field experts. PMG calls allow peer-to-peer education focused on preparing rural hospitals for new payment and care delivery models.

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Cupped together hands holding a rural community.

Collaborating and innovating to improve the health of rural communities.

Learn more about The Center

Upcoming Events

Upcoming HELP Webinar

Critical Access Hospital Pro Forma for Shared Savings

July 26, 2017

Explore a new Excel-based tool developed by the Rural Health Value team and Premier, Inc. The CAH Pro Forma for Shared Savings assesses the financial implications of joining an ACO.

Upcoming Webinar

SHIP State Coordinator Technical Assistance Webinar: July 2017

July 27, 2017

This webinar will feature one state's collaborative efforts involved with pooling SHIP funds for a shared project. The presentation will also include a summary of program recommendations submitted as part of the FY17 progress reports, along with an opportunity for SHIP coordinators to provide additional feedback and insights.

Upcoming Network Development Webinar

Network Development TA Welcome Webinar 2017

August 1, 2017

RHI is the technical assistance provider for the 2017 cohort of Rural Health Network Development grantees. In this introductory webinar, the Network TA Team will share its approach and strategies, describe TA methods and opportunities and present upcoming TA events.

Upcoming Virtual Knowledge Group

Discussion About Crucial Conversations: Tools for Talking When Stakes are High

August 7, 2017

Participate in a VKG discussion about the book Crucial Conversations which provides suggestions for skills and approaches that help identify and hold crucial conversations. Hear some best practices and learn about other approaches and general facilitation tips.

Upcoming Network Development Peer Group Call

Developing Network Products and Services

August 10, 2017

This Peer Group Call is an opportunity to connect with other network leaders and representatives about your experiences in developing products and services to deliver value to members and customers.

Upcoming Virtual Knowledge Group

Antibiotic Stewardship

August 17, 2017

Learn about antibiotic stewardship. Discuss MBQIP success, challenges and brainstorm strategies to assist hospitals toward reporting, participating, improving and excelling across the four MBQIP domains.

Upcoming PMG Call

Russell County Hospital: Aligning with Primary Care for Future Success

August 23, 2017

Learn how RCH expanded primary care base with new providers and extended hours, as well as created new services to align with their local providers and meet community needs.

Upcoming HELP Webinar

Transition Strategies from the 2017 Rural Hospital Value-Based Strategic Summit

August 30, 2017

Learn transition strategies from the 2017 Rural Hospital Value-based Strategic Summit with strategy map and balanced scorecard templates.

Upcoming Conference Call

Ask Robyn - Quarterly Open Office Hour Call for MBQIP Data Abstractors

September 20, 2017

Quality Reporting Specialist Robyn Carlson of Stratis Health will be offering open office hour calls to discuss CAH MBQIP data abstraction questions on September 20, 2017. Sessions are free of charge, but registration is required.

News

SRHT Hospital Spotlight

Magnolia Regional Medical Center Excels as a Hospital in Transition

July 2017

By staying focused on implementation of recommendations from their SRHT FOA, MRMC increased net income, net patient revenue and days cash on hand, even during a transition in senior leadership.

News

Rural Health Care Quality Supporter Wins Calico Leadership Award

July 2017

Lawrence D. Baronner, Deputy Director at the Pennsylvania Office of Rural Health, was awarded the 2017 Calico Leadership Award.

Network Spotlight

Network Spotlight: Southeast Texas Health System

July 2017

SETHS integrates health care locally and regionally in responding to the growth of managed care in a way that preserves local control and maintains the independence of member institutions.

Network Spotlight

Network Spotlight: Rural Health Network of Oklahoma

June 2017

Rural Health Network of Oklahoma acts as a convener and facilitator of change within the rural health care system to improve the health of rural Oklahoma.

SRHT Hospital Spotlight

Medical Center Barbour Reduces Readmission Rates

June 2017

MCB, a PPS hospital located in Eufaula, Alabama and affiliated with Southeast Alabama Medical Center, reduced readmission rates after participating in an SRHT transition of care project. They attribute much of their success to the creation of care transitions nurse position.

Network Spotlight

Network Spotlight: Northeast Oregon Network

May 2017

The Northeast Oregon Network (NEON) increases access to and quality of integrated healthcare for Northeast Oregon residents by identifying system gaps, facilitating community-developed solutions, and advocating for health policy change.