Rural Health Group Inc

HEALTH CENTER CLUSTER

HEALTH CENTER CLUSTER

AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ACT FUNDING FOR HEALTH CENTERS

RYAN WHITE PART C OUTPATIENT EIS PROGRAM

HEALTH CENTER CORONAVIRUS AID, RELIEF, AND ECONOMIC SECURITY (CARES) ACT FUNDING

ARRA - CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM

HEALTH CENTER INFRASTRUCTURE SUPPORT

FY 2020 EXPANDING CAPACITY FOR CORONAVIRUS TESTING (ECT)

CAPITAL DEVELOPMENT

FISCAL YEAR 2025 EXPANDED HOURS. - FUNDING OPPORTUNITY NUMBER: HRSA-25-084 APPLICANT NAME: RURAL HEALTH GROUP, INC. DESCRIPTIVE TITLE OF APPLICANT’S PROJECT: FY 2025 EXPANDED HOURS TO INCREASE HEALTH CENTER OPERATING HOURS TO MEET IDENTIFIED PATIENT AND COMMUNITY NEEDS IN NORTHEASTERN NORTH CAROLINA (EDGECOMBE, GRANVILLE, HALIFAX, NORTHAMPTON, VANCE AND WARREN COUNTIES). PROJECT ABSTRACT: RURAL HEALTH GROUP, INC. (RHG) A NON-PROFIT COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTER, HAS BEEN PROVIDING ACCESSIBLE, AFFORDABLE, HIGH-QUALITY, PATIENT-FOCUSED PRIMARY HEALTH CARE TO RESIDENTS ACROSS SIX COUNTIES IN NORTHEASTERN NORTH CAROLINA SINCE 1976. RURAL HEALTH GROUP PRIORITIZES SERVICES TO LOW-INCOME RESIDENTS IN THE SERVICE AREA. RESIDENTS IN THESE HIGH-NEED COMMUNITIES FACE MULTIPLE BARRIERS TO HEALTH CARE, INCLUDING LACK OF CONVENIENT ACCESS POINTS FOR CARE, LACK OF HEALTH INSURANCE, LIMITED OR NO TRANSPORTATION, AMONG OTHERS. INCREASED ACCESS TO PRIMARY CARE SERVICES IN THE REGION IS OF PARAMOUNT IMPORTANCE. AS A PRIMARY POINT OF ACCESS IN ITS SERVICE ARE FOR ANY HEALTH CARE NEED, RURAL HEALTH GROUP IS WELL-POSITIONED TO ADDRESS BARRIERS TO CARE AND EXPAND OPERATING HOURS TO EASE PATIENTS’ ABILITY TO ACCESS ESSENTIAL HEALTH CENTER SERVICES. RURAL HEALTH GROUP IS REQUESTING FUNDING TO SUPPORT EXPANDED HOURS FOR SIX SITES: RURAL HEALTH GROUP AT ENFIELD (1 HR.), RURAL HEALTH GROUP AT HALIFAX MEDICAL SPECIALISTS (3 HRS.), RURAL HEALTH GROUP AT JACKSON (MEDICAL) (7 HRS. 30 MIN.), RURAL HEALTH GROUP AT RICH SQUARE (2 HRS. 30 MIN.), RURAL HEALTH GROUP AT ROANOKE RAPIDS (FAMILY PRACTICE) (3 HRS.), AND RURAL HEALTH GROUP AT WHITAKERS (4 HRS.). RURAL HEALTH GROUP IS REQUESTING FUNDING TO SUPPORT TWENTY-ONE EXPANDED HOURS PER WEEK AT SIX SITES. THE EXPANDED HOURS WILL INCLUDE EARLY MORNING AND LATE EVENING. ACCESS TO HEALTHCARE, SPECIFICALLY PRIMARY CARE SERVICES IS A GROWING CONCERN IN RURAL NORTHEASTERN NORTH CAROLINA COMMUNITIES. DATA FROM THE SERVICE AREA REVEAL SYSTEMIC, WIDESPREAD HEALTH DISPARITIES, AND EMPHASIZE THE NEED FOR COMPREHENSIVE PRIMARY AND PREVENTIVE HEALTH SERVICES THAT ARE ACCESSIBLE TO THOSE WITH LOW INCOMES AND THE UNINSURED. PATIENT BARRIERS SUCH AS WORKING HOURS, INABILITY TO MISS WORK FOR LOST WAGES OR THREAT OF LOSING THEIR JOB ALTOGETHER, AND LACK OF AVAILABLE CHILDCARE CONTRIBUTE TO DIFFICULTIES IN ACCESSING CARE DURING NORMAL BUSINESS HOURS. THIS CAN RESULT IN COSTLY OUTCOMES SUCH AS DELAYING NEEDED CARE OR SEEKING NON-URGENT CARE IN THE LOCAL EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT. RURAL HEALTH GROUP ANTICIPATES THE PROPOSED EXPANDED HOURS WILL INCREASE ACCESS AND ALLEVIATE BARRIERS TO HIGH-QUALITY PRIMARY CARE BY INCREASING THE NUMBER OF HOURS TO PROVIDE SERVICES TO PATIENTS. NEW OPERATING HOURS WILL MEET IDENTIFIED NEEDS IN THE COMMUNITY, INCLUDE REDUCING UNNECESSARY VISITS TO EMERGENCY DEPARTMENTS, AND SUPPORTING PATIENTS’ ABILITY TO RECEIVE ESSENTIAL CENTER SERVICES. EXPANDED HOURS FUNDING WILL FOSTER A MORE ACCESSIBLE AND PATIENT-CENTERED SERVICE DELIVERY SYSTEM, WHILE REDUCING DISPARITIES WITHIN THE COMMUNITY.

CAPITAL DEVELOPMENT

FY 2023 EXPANDING COVID-19 VACCINATION

ARRA - INCREASE SERVICES TO HEALTH CENTERS

SMALL HEALTH CARE PROVIDER QUALITY IMPROVEMENT - RURAL HEALTH GROUP (RHG) IS A FEDERALLY QUALIFIED HEALTH CENTER (FQHC) SERVING MORE THAN 36,000 PATIENTS ANNUALLY THROUGH A NETWORK OF PRIMARY CARE SITES ACROSS FIVE RURAL COUNTIES IN NORTHEASTERN NORTH CAROLINA. RHG PROPOSES IMPLEMENTING A QUALITY IMPROVEMENT INITIATIVE THROUGH THE HRSA SMALL HEALTH CARE PROVIDER QUALITY IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM TO STRENGTHEN CHRONIC DISEASE MANAGEMENT AND IMPROVE HEALTH OUTCOMES FOR RURAL, MEDICALLY UNDERSERVED POPULATIONS. THE PROJECT FOCUSES ON IMPROVING CARE FOR 18,203 PATIENTS WITH HYPERTENSION, 8,591 PATIENTS WITH DIABETES, AND 4,945 PATIENTS WITH HEART DISEASE. RESIDENTS OF GRANVILLE, HALIFAX, NORTHAMPTON, VANCE, AND WARREN COUNTIES EXPERIENCE HIGH RATES OF POVERTY, CHRONIC DISEASE, PREVENTABLE HOSPITALIZATION, AND BARRIERS TO HEALTHCARE ACCESS, AND ALL FIVE COUNTIES ARE FEDERALLY DESIGNATED PRIMARY CARE HEALTH PROFESSIONAL SHORTAGE AREAS (HPSAS). RHG PROVIDES MORE THAN 140,000 PATIENT VISITS ANNUALLY AND SERVES A PREDOMINANTLY LOW-INCOME POPULATION, INCLUDING MEDICARE, MEDICAID, UNINSURED, AND OTHER MEDICALLY UNDERSERVED PATIENTS. THE PROPOSED PROJECT WILL STRENGTHEN RHG'S EXISTING QUALITY IMPROVEMENT INFRASTRUCTURE BY IMPLEMENTING EVIDENCE-BASED CLINICAL AND OPERATIONAL IMPROVEMENTS DESIGNED TO IMPROVE CHRONIC DISEASE MANAGEMENT, CLINICAL QUALITY, AND ORGANIZATIONAL PERFORMANCE. QUALITY IMPROVEMENT STRATEGIES INCLUDE STANDARDIZING EVIDENCE-BASED CLINICAL WORKFLOWS, EXPANDING PROVIDER AND STAFF TRAINING, STRENGTHENING TEAM-BASED CARE COORDINATION AND PATIENT OUTREACH, IMPROVING CLINICAL DOCUMENTATION AND CODING PRACTICES, AND ENHANCING THE USE OF ELECTRONIC HEALTH RECORDS, CLINICAL DASHBOARDS, PATIENT REGISTRIES, AND DATA ANALYTICS TO SUPPORT POPULATION HEALTH MANAGEMENT AND PERFORMANCE IMPROVEMENT. CONTINUOUS QUALITY IMPROVEMENT ACTIVITIES WILL BE GUIDED BY PLAN-DO-STUDY-ACT (PDSA) CYCLES, ROUTINE PERFORMANCE MEASUREMENT, AND DATA-DRIVEN DECISION-MAKING. ENHANCED USE OF ELECTRONIC HEALTH RECORD DATA, MONTHLY CLINICAL PERFORMANCE DASHBOARDS, ROUTINE DATA VALIDATION, PATIENT REGISTRIES, CARE-GAP REPORTS, AND QUARTERLY QUALITY IMPROVEMENT COMMITTEE MEETINGS WILL SUPPORT EARLIER IDENTIFICATION OF PATIENTS REQUIRING INTERVENTION, PROACTIVE POPULATION HEALTH MANAGEMENT, TIMELY FOLLOW-UP, AND CONTINUOUS EVALUATION OF CLINICAL PERFORMANCE. INTERDISCIPLINARY COLLABORATION AMONG PROVIDERS, QUALITY IMPROVEMENT STAFF, CARE MANAGERS, DATA ANALYSTS, FINANCE PERSONNEL, AND ORGANIZATIONAL LEADERSHIP WILL SUPPORT CONSISTENT IMPLEMENTATION OF EVIDENCE-BASED PRACTICES AND STRENGTHEN RHG'S CAPACITY TO SUCCEED IN VALUE-BASED CARE MODELS. EXPECTED OUTCOMES INCLUDE IMPROVED PERFORMANCE ON UNIFORM DATA SYSTEM (UDS) CHRONIC DISEASE QUALITY MEASURES; INCREASED IDENTIFICATION AND FOLLOW-UP OF PATIENTS WITH CARE GAPS; GREATER ADHERENCE TO STANDARDIZED EVIDENCE-BASED CLINICAL WORKFLOWS; REDUCED PREVENTABLE HOSPITALIZATIONS AND AVOIDABLE ACUTE CARE UTILIZATION; IMPROVED CLINICAL DOCUMENTATION, CODING, REIMBURSEMENT, AND FINANCIAL SUSTAINABILITY FOR CHRONIC DISEASE MANAGEMENT SERVICES; AND STRENGTHENED ORGANIZATIONAL CAPACITY TO SUSTAIN CONTINUOUS QUALITY IMPROVEMENT BEYOND THE PROJECT PERIOD. BY ENHANCING RHG'S ABILITY TO IDENTIFY CARE GAPS, MONITOR CLINICAL PERFORMANCE, AND IMPLEMENT TIMELY, DATA-INFORMED INTERVENTIONS, THE PROJECT WILL ADVANCE CHRONIC DISEASE MANAGEMENT AND IMPROVE POPULATION HEALTH OUTCOMES. THESE IMPROVEMENTS WILL STRENGTHEN RHG'S CAPACITY TO DELIVER COORDINATED, DATA-DRIVEN CARE, REDUCE PREVENTABLE COMPLICATIONS AND HEALTH DISPARITIES, AND SUPPORT THE LONG-TERM HEALTH OF RURAL COMMUNITIES THROUGHOUT NORTHEASTERN NORTH CAROLINA.

FY 2020 CORONAVIRUS SUPPLEMENTAL FUNDING FOR HEALTH CENTERS

FY 2023 BRIDGE ACCESS PROGRAM