Core Competencies for State Flex Program Excellence: Self-Assessment

Background

The foundation for this assessment is the Core Competencies for State Flex Program Excellence Guide, which was the result of a summit meeting comprised of experienced State Offices of Rural Health Directors and Flex Program Coordinators, as well as staff from the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy (FORHP), the Flex Monitoring Team and the Technical Assistance and Services Center (TASC). The purpose of the Summit was to develop a framework of core competencies and recommendations for achieving excellence in state Flex Programs. Outcomes from the Summit were shared with other state Flex Programs through a variety of venues and feedback was used to enhance the final product.

Purpose

The primary goal of this assessment is to assist users in identifying and prioritizing opportunities for enhancing competency within their state Flex Program. This assessment is meant to consider competencies at the organization-level, not the individual level. Based on assessment outcomes, resources can be identified for those areas in which the program self-identifies a gap or opportunity for improvement.

When to Complete the Assessment

FORHP strongly suggests that state Flex Programs complete this assessment at least annually. Results of the assessment will not be used by FORHP to determine future funding levels. Users are encouraged to complete the assessment multiple times to monitor progress on their continuous journey towards Flex Program excellence. Assessment results can be used to establish a baseline, create benchmarks and aid in strategic planning and evaluation.

State Flex Programs receiving a site visit from TASC will be asked to complete the assessment prior to the site visit. This will allow TASC to customize technical assistance provided while onsite to meet the needs of the state, while also highlighting areas in which the state is excelling, allowing an opportunity for TASC to learn more about best practices and techniques that could be shared with others.

Similarly, state Flex Programs sending participants to the FORHP Flex Program Workshop will be asked to complete the assessment prior to the Workshop. Results will be used to develop customized content and serve as a working reference document for participants.

Who Will See the Results

Results will be sent to the person completing the assessment and will be shared with TASC. In collaboration with FORHP, TASC will use blinded results from all completed assessments to plan broad technical assistance services. TASC will not share individualized results with FORHP without the express consent of the completing organization.

Who Should Complete the Assessment

Depending on your program, you may wish to complete the assessment as a team or to appoint an individual highly familiar with the program to complete the assessment on behalf of the program. Remember that the assessment is meant to reflect the state Flex Program as a whole, including internal and external resources, and is not an assessment of an individual Flex Coordinator or other staff persons.

How to Complete the Assessment

Prior to completing this assessment, users are encouraged to review the Core Competencies for State Flex Program Excellence Guide. This resource provides users with more background on the meaning and importance of each of the competencies and related proficiencies.

To complete the assessment, indicate your organization’s level of competency as it relates to each listed proficiency. For each broader competency area, indicate whether the competency is met primarily through internal or external resources and who is/are the primary knowledge/expertise person(s). Upon completing the assessment, you will receive an email summarizing your results. The email will contain a unique link to the results. The link is for your own reference and organization's use.

As a reminder, this assessment is meant to consider competencies at the organization-level, not the individual-level. When answering, think about your Flex Program as a whole, including internal staff and external partners and/or contractors.

Self-Assessment
(5) Highly Competent(4)(3) Moderately Competent(2)(1) Little to No Competence
Managing the grant *
Managing contracts and consulting services *
Continuously assessing the program *
Regularly reporting grant progress and outcomes *
(5) Highly Competent(4)(3) Moderately Competent(2)(1) Little to No Competence
Communicating Effectively *
Developing Partnerships *
Networking *
Facilitating conversations and relationships *
Acting as a leader and building trust *
Knowing and leveraging available resources *
(5) Highly Competent(4)(3) Moderately Competent(2)(1) Little to No Competence
Applying continuous improvements *
Understanding and utilizing improvement frameworks *
Sharing and using lessons learned and best practices *
(5) Highly Competent(4)(3) Moderately Competent(2)(1) Little to No Competence
Understanding policies and legislation affecting rural health *
Understanding regulations affecting rural health *
(5) Highly Competent(4)(3) Moderately Competent(2)(1) Little to No Competence
Supporting quality improvement principles *
Encouraging quality reporting *
Using available quality data *
Supporting the Medicare Beneficiary Quality Improvement Project (MBQIP) *
(5) Highly Competent(4)(3) Moderately Competent(2)(1) Little to No Competence
Understanding the basic concepts of critical access hospital finance *
Utilizing financial performance improvement strategies *
Maintaining a cadre of trusted financial experts *
(5) Highly Competent(4)(3) Moderately Competent(2)(1) Little to No Competence
Understanding the social determinants of health *
Supporting population health improvement *
Utilizing community health needs assessments and economic impact assessments *
(5) Highly Competent(4)(3) Moderately Competent(2)(1) Little to No Competence
Maintaining an overall knowledge of the rural health landscape *
Understanding the interconnection of hospitals, clinics and long-term care *
Integrating emergency medical services *
Incorporating behavioral and mental health services *
Collaborating with public health *
(5) Highly Competent(4)(3) Moderately Competent(2)(1) Little to No Competence
Understanding value-based purchasing concepts *
Supporting the application of new models of care *
Contact Details

This project is/was supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) under grant number UB1RH24206, Information Services to Rural Hospital Flexibility Program Grantees, $1,100,000 (0% financed with nongovernmental sources). This information or content and conclusions are those of the author and should not be construed as the official position or policy of, nor should any endorsements be inferred by HRSA, HHS or the U.S. Government.