Rural Health Path to Value Rural Health Innovations offers services to help you climb toward population health and improve the health status of your community.
Community Health Needs Assessments (CHNA) Work with us to set a course toward value-based payment and population health. A thorough assessment of your community's needs is the crucial first step.
Community Health Implementation Planning We can help you to strategically build and carry out a community health implementation plan that addresses the needs identified in your CHNA.
Additional Consulting Services
Network and Partnership Development More is possible when working together. Let us help you build bridges that lead to healthier communities.
Technical Assistance & Services Center (TASC) TASC provides performance improvement resources to CAHs and state Flex Programs on quality, finance, operations, systems of care and population health.
Small Rural Hospital Improvement Grant Program (SHIP) SHIP provides funding to approximately 1,600 participating hospitals in 46 participating SORHs to help small rural hospitals participate in value-based payment and care delivery models.
Network Technical Assistance (TA) RHI provides technical assistance (TA) to over 60 networks in the Development and Allied Health rural health network grant programs.
Small Rural Hospital Transition (SRHT) Project The Small Rural Hospital Transition (SRHT) Project supports small rural hospitals nationally by providing on-site technical assistance to assist bridging the gaps between the current health care system and the newly emerging health care delivery and payment system.
Resource Library The Center's Resource Library features webinars, presentations, articles and toolkits developed by trusted industry leaders to guide and support rural health stakeholders.
Flex Virtual Knowledge Group (VKG) webinars provide a forum for state Flex Programs to share successes, discuss challenges and brainstorm strategies for improvement and Flex Program excellence.
The intended audience for the live events is State Office of Rural Health Directors, Flex Program Coordinators and supporting staff. The events are recorded and made available in the Flex Program Forum (login required). Flex Program Forum access is limited to those indicated on the Flex Program Forum page.
Flex VKG webinars are supported by the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy (FORHP) and coordinated by the Technical Assistance and Services Center (TASC), a program of the National Rural Health Resource Center (The Center).
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.
This Flex Virtual Knowlege Group webinar focused on an engaging networking opportunity with content focused on "What does working in rural health care mean to you? Why is it important? What are our hopes for the future of rural health care?"
Identify current issues facing RHCs. Identify opportunities for Flex Programs to help support efforts related to provider-based RHCs. Pinpoint where to find resources to support state Flex Program activities with provider-based RHCs.
Identify contract management best practices and tips they can use for their Flex Program subcontracts or managing the life cycle of their QI project. Recognize how other Flex Coordinators troubleshoot contract management issues to improve office efficiencies and project outcomes.
Identify examples of non-traditional partnerships that can be beneficial in for state Flex programs. Discuss how to establish partnerships within state Flex program work. Recognize the value of seeking out other partnerships in your state and its positive impact on your state Flex program initiatives.
Describe the financial and quality impacts of rural hospital and clinic telehealth use. Express market protection concerns for rural hospitals from non-traditional competitors with broad increased use and acceptance of telehealth. Recognize enhanced access to health care for rural patients. Recognize the benefits of telehealth use in value-based payment models.
Recall peer Flex Program experiences with telehealth initiatives
Understand the HHS carryover process and necessary steps required. Hear from Flex programs that have utilized carryover Flex funds. Hear examples of Flex programs shifting activities to avoid the carryover process.
Discover staff engagement and wellness best practices for building Flex Program longevity. Identify employee satisfaction opportunities within different organization types (state government, non-profit, and university). Share innovative ways to celebrate Flex program successes.
State the purpose, components, and uses of program evaluation. Recall common performance improvement opportunities in program evaluation. Through an accompanying self-assessment, recognize their Flex program’s strengths, challenges, and barriers with program evaluation.
Discuss how to advance health equity in your state through Flex program initiatives. Discover strategies and activities from other Flex programs that promote health equity initiatives.
Describe the importance of telehealth practices for rural hospitals. Discuss how to improve telehealth in your hospital through Flex Program initiatives.
Gain insights on mental and behavioral health initiatives for critical access hospitals, and learn what other Flex Programs are doing to address mental and behavioral health.
Describe the importance of CHNAs and meeting the health needs of a community. Discuss how to use the findings from CHNAs to develop activities in state Flex programs.
Understand the importance of closing out the Flex grant year and hear a discussion focused on processes other Flex programs have found beneficial for doing so.
Recognize HRSA initiatives and resources available for state Flex programs. Determine how state Flex programs can utilize Flex funds to promote accessibility and health equity initiatives.
Identify the strategies that the Wyoming Flex program and WY Office of Health Equity are implementing to advance health equity in the state.
Hear from the FMT about updates coming to CAHMPAS. Participate in a discussion and provide feedback to the FMT about CAHMPAS and forthcoming updates. Discover how peer Flex Programs are using CAHMPAS data for activity planning.
The topic for the January Flex VKG is Flex Program support for provider-based RHCs. Flex VKG webinars provide a forum for state Flex Programs to share successes, discuss challenges and brainstorm strategies for improvement and Flex Program excellence.
Understand Flex application components and submission requirements. Hear best practices for application review and submission, such as looking at scoring criteria, creating an internal review process, making sure you connect the dots from need to activity outcome, etc.
Learn how to utilize your PIMS data to help inform activities and projects for your Flex program. Hear tracking and data collection suggestions from other Flex programs.
Learn how the transition to value affects EMS. Discuss the potential for EMS to adapt in a value-based health care system. Discover how Flex Programs are working with EMS in the transition to value.
Learn tips, suggestions and methods to engage and support hospital boards and leadership. Hear about programs implemented by state Flex Programs to improve board engagement and leadership support.
Learn about what Community Health Workers (CHWs) are and their role in the transition to value. Hear how Flex Programs can support CHW initiatives. Hear how and why CAHs are using CHWs.
Understand the value of CAHMPAS and discuss different ways states are utilizing CAHMPAS. Learn best practices and tips for getting the most out of your CAHMPAS experience and hear about upcoming CAHMPAS developments.
Know where to find resources to support CAH financial improvement. Discuss different ways states are utilizing tools and leveraging relationships to improve financial performance within their CAHs. Understand the value of the CAHMPAS data query tool, CAHFIR and the use of subcontractors for financial improvement success.
Understand best practices for conducting a CAH site visit, discuss different ways states are utilizing tools and leveraging relationships to conduct a successful site visit and foster peer-to-peer sharing of CAH site visit templates, tools and resources.
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, $1,560,000 (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.
