Resources

The Center's searchable Resource Library features articles, reports, webinars, podcasts, toolkits, and other materials developed by trusted industry leaders to guide and support rural health stakeholders.
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In this module, we’re going to dig into some things that are hard for many of us: Communication, conflict, and difficult conversations. We’ll look at what it means to be a collaborative communicator and share tips for becoming a better listener, keeping conflict constructive, and having difficult conversations.
In this module, we’re going to dive into the topic of change. We’ll talk about common experiences that people have through the course of change. We’ll talk about specific things you can do as a leader of change to smooth the process and help others through the transition – and help yourself as well.
In this module, we’ll explore what it means to engage your team and share some strategies for strengthening engagement by developing your team’s knowledge and skills, making collaborative decisions, and building a strong team identity.
These summaries provide information about measures added and removed from MBQIP since fall 2017. For more information about measure changes to MBQIP, see Appendix B in the MBQIP Fundamentals Guide for State Flex Programs.
The Behavioral Health Toolkit contains messaging focused on stopping mental health stigma and starting the conversation, as well as highlighting the new 9-8-8 national hotline.
Equip participants with comprehensive knowledge and insights on population health and its significance in hospital operations and community engagement, ensuring they can effectively guide and make informed decisions in rural health care.

Speaker: Stratis Health
Blue Mountain Hospital has been recognized by the National Rural Health Resource Center for its use of innovative approaches to improve the organization’s financial stability.
The Critical Access Hospital Financial Sustainability Guide guide is intended for use by state Medicare Rural Hospital Flexibility (Flex) Program personnel, leaders of critical access hospitals (CAHs), and other individuals and/or teams that provide guidance and assistance to these providers in managing their long-term financial stability.
Access the answers to questions frequently asked about the Rural Hospital Stabilization Program (RHSP).
The National Rural Health Resource Center (The Center) has launched the 2025 update to its Population Health Toolkit, which is designed to assist State Offices of Rural Health, state Medicare Rural Hospital Flexibility (Flex) Programs and individual health care organizations as they seek to better understand, manage and improve population health in their communities and states.
In September 2023, Rural Health Innovations, the for-profit consulting arm of the National Rural Health Resource Center, was contracted by the Episcopal Health Foundation to conduct a review and assessment of the Texas Community Health Access and Rural Transformation (CHART) Model design and rollout. The assessment included an examination of Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation initiatives, an analysis of the Texas CHART Model design and related communications with hospitals and partners, an analysis of state hospital finances, and interviews with more than a dozen key informants.
Review the process the Rural Hospital Stabilization Program uses to analyze applications and select hospitals to participate.
Outlines a compilation of states' criteria for designation as a necessary provider. Describes how each state has addressed local considerations or unique requirements.
This document outlines four performance management tools: Balanced Scorecard, Baldrige, Lean and Studer. These tools have been identified as effective methods for managing performance improvement with small rural hospitals.
HIT networks can use this tool to assess organizational strengths and weaknesses and identify areas needing attention.
These samples from an HIT network can serve as reference documents for networks interested in incorporating the Balanced Scorecard into their strategic and evaluation planning efforts.
This document summarizes the consensus of a discussion with CAH financial leaders and experts about the most important performance indicators, the CAH financial distress model from the FMT, CAH interventions for optimizing financial performance and the evolving health care system.
This guide to Direct connectivity standards is designed to assist health care providers in understanding and implementing health information exchange using Direct protocols. It includes descriptions of technologies used, a glossary of terms and recommendations on implementing Direct.
Determining whether your practice is ready to build or join a HIE can be a challenge. This guide provides some basic information for providers to consider while evaluating options for HIE.
With the changes and transitions in today’s health care environment, it's an important time for rural health care leaders to engage stakeholders in collaborative efforts. This presentation suggests two key ways to enable people to take on new behaviors and offers specific ways to help leaders succeed in truly engaging stakeholders.