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)
TASC provides performance improvement resources to CAHs and state Flex Programs on quality, finance, operations, systems of care and population health.

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

Delta Region Community Health Systems Development (DRCHSD) Program
The DRCHSD Program works with rural Delta communities to address health care needs and strengthen the local health care system through comprehensive technical assistance.

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 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.

Allied Health Webinars
Find recordings and resources from recent technical assistance webinars for Rural Network Allied Health Training grantees.

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.

Network Development Webinars
Find recordings and resources from recent technical assistance webinars for Rural Health Network Development grantees.

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.

Deb Laine, M.Ed

Debra Laine

Debra Laine

Program Specialist II

National Rural Health Resource Center (The Center)

Rural Health Innovations (RHI)

dlaine@ruralcenter.org

(218) 216-7042

Debra joined The Center in April of 2015 and brings over thirty years of adult education experience. As a Program Specialist, she provides education, coaching and technical assistance to rural health networks on topics such as strategic planning, evaluation, collaboration and community engagement, partnerships and leadership. She utilizes her extensive background in training, facilitation and presentation skills to assist rural health network leaders accomplish their goals.

For over ten years, Debra designed, developed, implemented and coordinated education programs across northeastern Minnesota. In that capacity, she worked cooperatively with rural health care providers.

Debra has a Master of Education in Adult Education and Training and Development from the University of Minnesota and has served as an adjunct faculty at three area colleges. Debra has presented on health-related topics at several regional and national conferences.

Past Events

Past HELP Webinar

Care Coordination and Its Role in Transforming Local Health Care (Part 2)

November 18, 2015

Learn about best practices to build your interdisciplinary care team and care plan. Privacy and security issues, which are often barriers to these efforts, are discussed.

Past Network Development Webinar

Project Evaluation Plan Toolkit

December 14, 2017

Evaluation planning can guide a rural health network in collecting information on project activities, tracking progress towards objectives and identifying project improvement opportunities. In this webinar, the presenters will walk through an evaluation planning toolkit to support networks in developing evaluation plans.