East Central Mississippi Health Network Incorporated

AFFORDABLE CARE ACT TEACHING HEALTH CENTER (THC) GRADUATE MEDICAL EDUCATION (GME) PAYMENT PROGRAM

AFFORDABLE CARE ACT TEACHING HEALTH CENTER (THC) GRADUATE MEDICAL EDUCATION (GME) PAYMENT PROGRAM

TEACHING HEALTH CENTER GRADUATE MEDICAL EDUCATION PROGRAM

COMMUNITY PROJECT FUNDING/CONGRESSIONALLY DIRECTED SPENDING - NON-CONSTRUCTION - PROJECT ABSTRACT PROJECT TITLE: EC-HEALTHNET RESIDENCY TEACHING HEALTH CENTER APPLICANT NAME: EAST CENTRAL MISSISSIPPI HEALTH NETWORK, INC. (EC-HEALTHNET TYPE OF APPLICATION: CONTINUATION ELIGIBLE ENTITY TYPE: HOSPITAL NETWORK WITH HOSPITAL-BASED RURAL HEALTH CLINCS WEBSITE: WWW.ECHEALTHNET.COM ADDRESS: 905C SOUTH FRONTAGE ROAD, MERIDIAN, MS 39301-6113 CONTACT PERSON: TIMOTHY W. THOMAS CONTACT PHONE NUMBERS: VOICE 601-484-2793, FAX 601-482-4957, CELL 601-527-5679 EMAIL ADDRESS: ECHEALTHNET@YAHOO.COM THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI IS RANKED 47TH IN THE NATION IN PRIMARY CARE PHYSICIAN ACCESS AND 49TH IN OVERALL HEALTH IN THE UNITED HEALTH FOUNDATION’S “AMERICA’S HEALTH RANKINGS” (APPENDIX L). OBESITY, DIABETES, AND OTHER ILLNESSES AND DISEASES ASSOCIATED WITH SEDENTARY LIFESTYLES AND DIET ARE PARTICULARLY BURDENSOME TO MISSISSIPPIANS, ALL OF WHICH COULD BE MITIGATED WITH INCREASED ACCESS TO PRIMARY CARE. TO MEET THIS ACUTE AND CHRONIC REGIONAL AND RURAL HEALTHCARE NEED WILL REQUIRE THAT WE CARVE SOME NEW PATHS, BUT THE NEAR CRISIS SHORTAGES OF PRIMARY CARE PHYSICIANS IN MANY RURAL REGIONS OF THE NATION – COMMUNITIES OFTEN FACING HIGH RATES OF POVERTY AND CHRONIC DISEASE - DEMANDS THIS COMMITMENT TO INNOVATION. EAST CENTRAL MISSISSIPPI HEALTH NETWORK, INC. (EC-HEALTHNET) WAS APPROVED ON AUGUST 1, 2013 BY THE AMERICAN OSTEOPATHIC ASSOCIATION FOR EIGHTEEN (18) POSITIONS IN FAMILY MEDICINE RESIDENCY. THE RESIDENCY ACCEPTED IT’S FIRST CLASS OF FM RESIDENTS IN JULY 2014. THE PURPOSE OF THE EC-HEALTHNET RESIDENCY CONSORTIUM IS TO TRAIN PHYSICIANS IN RURAL AREAS TO INCREASE THE LIKELIHOOD THAT THEY WILL 1) CHOOSE TO PRACTICE IN A RURAL AREA AND 2) HAVE THE CLINICAL PHILOSOPHY AND SKILLS TO CARE FOR RURAL RESIDENTS. EC-HEALTHNET IS A 501(C)(3) NON-PROFIT CORPORATION ESTABLISHED WITH HRSA RURAL NETWORK PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT GRANT FUNDING AND HAS MAINTAINED A CONSISTENT RECORD OF IMPLEMENTING RURAL NETWORK PROJECTS SINCE JUNE, 2004. THE EC-HEALTHNET RE SIDENCY CONSORTIUM WILL BE GOVERNED BY ITS BOARD OF DIRECTORS, WHICH CONSISTS OF APPOINTED REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE NINE (7) PARTICIPATING HOSPITAL ORGANIZATIONS. THE HOSPITAL CONSORTIUM CONSISTS OF TWO (2) TERTIARY ACUTE CARE HOSPITALS, ONE (1) PRIMARY ACUTE CARE HOSPITAL, AND FOUR (4) CRITICAL ACCESS HOSPITALS (CAH). THE RESIDENTS WILL BE ASSIGNED AND TRAINED AT EC-HEALTHNET FAMILY HEALTH CENTER, A HOSPITAL-BASED CERTIFIED RURAL HEALTH CLINIC (RHC) LOCATED IN THE REGION. THE EC-HEALTHNET RESIDENCY WILL PRODUCE HIGH QUALITY FAMILY PHYSICIANS WITH THE CLINICAL SKILLS AND PHILOSOPHY NECESSARY TO PROVIDE COMPETENT, INDEPENDENT, AND PROFESSIONAL HEALTH CARE SERVICE IN RURAL COMMUNITIES. A HIGH PERCENTAGE OF GRADUATES WILL CHOOSE TO PRACTICE IN THE VICINITY OF THEIR TRAINING SITE, HAVING BEEN IMMERSED IN THIS CARE ENVIRONMENT FOR THE ENTIRE LENGTH OF THEIR RESIDENCIES AND “THROWN DOWN ROOTS” IN THE COMMUNITY. THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE RESIDENCY WILL BE EVALUATED ACCORDING TO: 1) THE RATE OF GRADUATE RETENTION IN THE PROGRAM’S CATCHMENT AREA AND OTHER RURAL AREAS; 2) ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE; 3) FINANCIAL SUSTAINABILITY; 4) DISSEMINATION OF THE MODEL TO OTHER RURAL AREAS; 5) OVERALL BENEFIT TO THE PARTICIPATING INSTITUTIONS AND COMMUNITIES; 6) AND PATIENT OUTCOMES.

COMMUNITY PROJECT FUNDING/CONGRESSIONALLY DIRECTED SPENDING - CONSTRUCTION - EC-HEALTHNET FAMILY MEDICINE RESIDENCY PROGRAM HAS BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN TRAINING RESIDENTS THAT REMAIN IN RURAL AREAS TO PRACTICE. HOWEVER, THE PROGRAM HAS NEEDS FOR IMPROVING THE CURRICULA AND FACULTY DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS. THE FUNDING IN DESCRIPTION WOULD ALLOW THE PROGRAM TO TRAIN FACULTY, DEVELOP AND PILOT CURRICULA AND PURCHASE MATERIALS RELATED TO THE CURRICULA IN ORDER TO IMPROVE RESIDENCY PROGRAMMING. THE FOCUS WOULD BE ON THE AREAS MOST NEEDED IN RURAL EAST CENTRAL MISSISSIPPI THAT INCLUDE RURAL CLINICIAN AIRWAY MANAGEMENT, RURAL LIFE SUPPORT TRAINING AND GENERAL HEALTH AND WELLNESS COACHING. THE GOAL IS TO IMPROVE FACULTY TRAINING AS WELL AS DEVELOP CURRICULA TO BETTER TRAIN RESIDENTS IN RURAL AREAS BUT COULD ALSO BE USED IN COLLABORATION WITH OTHER RURAL RESIDENCY PROGRAM AROUND THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI.

TELEMEDICINE GRANT