Past Events

Understand the proposed purpose of the National CAH Quality Assessment (the assessment). Participate in discussion and provide feedback to help inform development of the assessment. Hear about additional opportunities to engage in development of the assessment.

This webinar, supported by the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy (FORHP) and coordinated by TASC, focused on the results of the Flex FY 2020 Performance Improvement and Management System (PIMS) data collection as well as the requirements and resources available for the upcoming end of year state Flex program reporting.

Describe telehealth origination sites and common rural alternatives. Relate what a telehealth visit looks like for the patient from an alternative site such as a library. Discuss the positive impact on health equity and patient access. List examples of rural alternative origination sites.

Describe the policy and technical barriers facing robust public health data sharing. Recognize recent state and federal efforts to overcome the public health information silos that exist. Identify how Flex Programs can better access critical public health information, particularly in their population health efforts.

Describe the five components of the Staff Sustainability Cycle. Evaluate your state Flex Program’s hiring and retention policies and practices. Strategize on best practices for office workflow to ensure proper business continuity.

Explain the development of the REH model and its legislation. Identify how the CAH model and REH model can be considered for rural communities. Recognize how REH TA funding will be facilitated. Have the opportunity to ask questions.

Describe how the use of telehealth benefits rural ambulance services. Discuss the financial considerations of telehealth for rural ambulance services when there isn’t reimbursement for it.
Relate telehealth implementation tips for rural ambulance services. Recognize support available to rural ambulance services interested in utilizing telehealth.

"Bridging the Future: Innovation, Adaptation, and Equity for Rural Health Care"
The 2022 Flex Program Virtual Reverse Site Visit will take place online this year and will include presentations by keynote speakers, state Flex Programs, FORHP staff, and TASC staff.

Recall what care coordination is and its relation to HIT. Explain the challenges and opportunities of care coordination for rural hospitals and clinics. Summarize examples of successes and lessons learned during the pandemic. Identify how Flex Programs can support care coordination initiatives.

Identify current workforce challenges impacting rural health care providers. Access resources and supporting information for health care workforce support. Recall state Flex Program activities that can support rural workforce challenges.

Identify promising practices other state Flex programs have implemented in their states. Recognize activities state Flex programs can support to ensure critical access hospitals (CAHs) in their state are prepared for the transition to value-based payment models. Develop next steps needed to implement programs and services related to building capacity towards population health.

Describe issues associated with rural EMS providers that can affect their mental wellness. Recognize ways that rural EMS providers can be resilient through unpredictable circumstances. Recall ways for rural ambulance services to cultivate support to foster mental resilience. Explain how Flex Programs could support a resilient rural EMS workforce.

Recognize how tele-home care can be provided via telehealth. Understand the opportunities and barriers for critical access hospitals to provide tele-home care. Recall rural models of tele-home care. Describe how Flex Programs can support alternatives to institutional care through tele-home care initiatives.

Identified available data sources that could be compiled to create an understanding of the health status of a population. Described how a rural hospital might utilize the data to inform and implement population health activities. Recognized the value of population health information initiatives and how Flex Programs can support them.

This quarterly webinar included updates from TASC, RQITA, FMT and FORHP, to include both the Flex Program and policies impacting critical access hospitals (CAHs).

This webinar will include: updates regarding EDTC reporting tools, changes to antibiotic stewardship questions on the NHSN Annual Facility Survey, a review of FMT’s analysis of CAH data reporting during COVID, Q&A regarding QI Project deliverables timeline, and a continued discussion from Flex NCC regarding next steps for MBQIP.

Understand the requirements for the FY 2022 NCC Progress Report. Hear from FORHP about important updates to the Medicare Beneficiaries Quality Improvement Program (MBQIP).
Learn about the impact of outcome measurements on your State Flex Program.

Recognize how palliative care and hospice are provided via telehealth. Understand the opportunities and barriers for critical access hospitals to provide palliative and hospice care. Recall examples of rural models of tele-palliative care and tele-hospice. Describe how Flex Programs can support tele-palliative care and tele-hospice initiatives.

Recognize health information exchange (HIE) and information blocking concepts. Understand the health information exchange direction of the Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT for rural hospitals and clinics. Discover initiatives shared from a rural Regional Health Information Organization. Explain how state Flex Programs could support rural health information exchange efforts.

Following this webinar, participants were be able to: List sources of EMS data and recognize common obstacles related to accessing EMS data. Recall how baselines are established. Discuss how outputs and outcomes are different, and give examples of how to measure project outcomes.