Washington State Department of Health

Washington State Flex Program

What is one Core Competency your state Flex Program is working on developing through Flex activities?

Core Competency: Addressing Community Needs

The Washington State Flex Program has just begun its ninth year of promoting population health assessment and improvement through our population health proposal funding program. To date we have awarded 67 population health improvement proposals to our Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs). These projects require community collaboration outside of the hospital and promote improving the social drivers of health. In this ninth year, we are focusing on measurable change along with relationship building. Additionally, WA Flex has begun intensive work analyzing community health needs assessments across the state to develop improvement cohorts focused on prioritized community needs.

What is one activity your state is funding through SHIP?

The Washington State Flex program leverages both Flex and Small Rural Hospital Improvement Program (SHIP) funding to provide access to the University of Washington Center for Stewardship in Medicine Antibiotic Stewardship Program. Through this program, 35 of our 39 CAHs participate in improving stewardship practices and measures. The leveraging of SHIP dollars assisted in maintaining our high level of participation due to the rising costs of fees.