The National Rural Health Resource Center (The Center), established in 1994, was awarded the Rural Healthcare Provider Transition Project (RHPTP) by the Department of Health and Human Services through the Health Resources and Services Administration. The Center provides technical assistance (TA), information, tools, and resources for the improvement of rural health care.
The purpose of this five-year project is to provide a combination of virtual and on-site TA each year to five selected qualifying small rural hospitals and rural health clinics (RHC), not currently participating in advanced models of value-based care. In addition, online services will be provided to an additional twenty organizations each year. The goal for both groups is to prepare and position their organizations for future participation in alternative payment and care delivery models such as Accountable Care Organizations. This will be accomplished by building recipients’ foundation for value-based care in efficiency, quality, patient experience, safety of care while assuming financial risk for payment models. Specifically, TA approach includes a financial risk assessment and consultation training that includes workflow mapping, action plans, and coaching.
“Our strategic vision incorporates TA provided in targeted, impactful consultations, and training with experienced contractors to assess hospital and RHC needs, provide best practice recommendations, and develop action plans in collaboration with small rural hospital and RHC management” shares Sally T. Buck, CEO of The Center.
RHPTP builds on six years of outstanding work by The Center through the Small Rural Hospital Transition Project working with 52 small rural hospitals in persistent poverty counties across the country. During the last year, The Center was able to document a return of $2.92 for each federal dollar invested in technical assistance to these rural hospitals and communities.
About The Center:
The National Rural Health Resource Center has over 30 years of experience as the nation’s leading technical assistance and knowledge center in rural health, providing TA to rural communities through many federal and state programs. The Center focuses on five core areas:
- Transition to Value and Population Health
- Collaboration and Partnership
- Performance Improvement
- Health Information Technology
- Workforce
For more information or questions about the Rural Healthcare Provider Transition project, please email RHPTP@ruralcenter.org.