Network Technical Assistance (TA)
Please select one of the links below to find more information about each rural health network grant program:
Networking News
Using Network Analysis for Evaluation and Design
For this month's article, we share a mini case study from David Ehrlichman of Converge for Impact, who shows us how their agency used social network analysis over time to determine how a network could focus its resources on strengthening connections to make the most impact.
Network Spotlight
Wright Health Partners
Our Network Spotlight this month features Wright Health Partners based in Clarion, Iowa. Network leaders speak with us about starting to develop county-wide ambulance services and about taking advantage of collective knowledge.
Network Aim for Sustainability Portal
Our Network Aim for Sustainability Portal features resources from our Resource Library that support rural health networks as they incorporate a systems approach within their development.
About Network TA
The Network Technical Assistance (TA) Team provides rural health networks with relevant and pertinent TA, education and resources that support successful program outcomes and network sustainability.
In fall of 2014, Rural Health Innovations (RHI) received a contract to provide technical assistance (TA) to over 100 network grantees in the Rural Health Network Development ("Development"), Rural Health Network Development Planning Grant ("Planning"), and Rural Health Information Technology Workforce ("HIT Workforce") rural health network programs with Health Resources and Services Administration’s (HRSA’s) Federal Office of Rural Health Policy (FORHP). Since October of 2016, RHI continues to provide TA to network grantees of the Development program as well as the Rural Network Allied Health Training ("Allied Health") program.
The grantees served under this contract focus on improving health care infrastructure in their communities through the development of integrated networks. The emphasis is on improving health service delivery, collaboration, expanding access to and improving quality of services in rural communities.
RHI provides TA services to rural health networks across the country through education, training and guidance, including webinars, on-site visits, reverse site visits, direct questions and consultations, resources and tools, creating directories and sourcebooks and guiding grantees in self-assessment, evaluation and strategic planning.
Our TA is based on a performance framework to guide our work in strengthening networks and building capacity of network leaders. The Network Aim for Sustainability Portal is a compilation of tools, resources and educational materials based on the Baldrige Performance Excellence framework.
Along with its parent company, the National Rural Health Resource Center, RHI has experience in providing technical assistance to rural health networks and communities through many federal and state programs such as the Rural Health Information Technology Network Development (RHITND) Program.
Read more information about our team.
For more information, please contact the Network TA Team at NetworkTA@ruralcenter.org
Program Manager Kap Wilkes, at (218) 216-7026 or kwilkes@ruralcenter.org
Additional Resources
HRSA.gov
Rural Health Information Hub (RHIhub)
National Cooperative of Health Networks Association (NCHN)
National Rural Health Association (NRHA)
Rural Health Value
Rural Health Research Gateway
National Organization of State Offices of Rural Health (NOSORH)
Rural Policy Research Insititue (RUPRI)