Mississippi State Department of Health

Top Flex Activities

CAH Quality Improvement

The Mississippi State Office of Rural Health (MS SORH) has contracted with a consulting group to provide technical assistance (TA) on the Medicare Beneficiary Quality Improvement Project (MBQIP) to all 31 critical access hospitals (CAHs). This TA includes hospital site visits if required and hospital staff education on MBQIP measures and reporting requirements. MBQIP TA is measured by the number of CAHs participating in the activity and improvements in outcomes.

CAH Operational and Financial Improvement

MS SORH has engaged subcontractors to provide financial improvement assistance through revenue cycle activities. The activities will be measured by the number of CAHs participating, and improvements in days in net accounts receivable.

For operational improvement, MS SORH will subcontract with a consulting group to perform outmigration analysis. This activity will be measured over the long term by increased market share.

CAH Population Health Improvement 

The Mississippi Flex Program completed a statewide population health assessment to compare results from an assessment conducted in 2015-2016.

Innovative Model Development 

The Mississippi Flex Program provided financial and educational support in the formation of an Accountable Care Organizatoin (ACO) for Mississippi CAHs in the 2018-2019 grant years. Eleven out of 31 CAHs participated in the ACO. All 31 CAHs were offered the opportunity to participate. 

Please provide information about network activities in your state to support Flex Program activities.

MS SORH subcontracts to provide financial network meetings for education and sharing of best practices on financial and operational subject matter. The activity will be measured by the number of CAHs participating. The MS SORH also participates in monthly meetings with CAHs' Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) and Administrators hosted by the Mississippi Hospital Association to discuss potential updates in Flex activities.  

Please provide information about cross-state collaborations you may be working on related to the Flex Program.

The Mississippi Flex Program currently participates in inter-state collaboration with state offices in the mid-south in organizing regional CAH conferences. The 2019 Regional CAH Conference was hosted by Mississippi with assistance from neighboring states. Mississippi will also assist neighboring states with the 2020 Regional CAH Conference. 

Please describe how your state Flex Program is reaching out to non-traditional partners to support its work.

The Mississippi Flex Program currently works with the Office of Emergency Preparedness and Response to provide pediatric-specific education for emergency medical services (EMS) personnel for Mississippi North Region Pediatric Emergency Care. This is a year-long project. 

Program Statistics