Rural Hospital Alliance

DELTA RURAL INTEGRATED HEALTH NETWORK PROGRAM - MISSISSIPPI DELTA RURAL INTEGRATED HEALTH NETWORK EXPANSION PROJECT THE RURAL HOSPITAL ALLIANCE (RHA) PROPOSES THE MISSISSIPPI DELTA RURAL INTEGRATED HEALTH NETWORK EXPANSION PROJECT UNDER TRACK 2: STRENGTHEN OR EXPAND AN EXISTING NETWORK OF THE HEALTH RESOURCES AND SERVICES ADMINISTRATION (HRSA) DELTA RURAL INTEGRATED HEALTH NETWORK PROGRAM. BUILDING ON NEARLY 30 YEARS OF COLLABORATION AMONG MISSISSIPPI'S RURAL HOSPITALS, THE PROJECT WILL STRENGTHEN AN EXISTING NETWORK OF 18 INDEPENDENT RURAL HOSPITALS SERVING COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE MISSISSIPPI DELTA REGIONAL AUTHORITY SERVICE AREA. THE MISSISSIPPI DELTA EXPERIENCES SOME OF THE NATION'S HIGHEST RATES OF CHRONIC DISEASE, PERSISTENT POVERTY, HEALTHCARE WORKFORCE SHORTAGES, BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CHALLENGES, AND LIMITED ACCESS TO COORDINATED HEALTHCARE SERVICES. PARTICIPATING HOSPITALS ALSO FACE FINANCIAL PRESSURES, AGING POPULATIONS, PROVIDER SHORTAGES, AND INCREASING DEMANDS TO PREPARE FOR VALUE-BASED CARE. WHILE THESE ORGANIZATIONS HAVE A LONG HISTORY OF WORKING TOGETHER, THEY NEED STRONGER GOVERNANCE, SHARED PLANNING, EXPANDED PARTNERSHIPS, AND REGIONAL INFRASTRUCTURE TO ADDRESS CHALLENGES THAT NO SINGLE RURAL HOSPITAL CAN SOLVE INDEPENDENTLY. DURING THE TWO-YEAR PROJECT PERIOD, RHA WILL STRENGTHEN AND EXPAND THE EXISTING NETWORK BY DEVELOPING THE ORGANIZATIONAL INFRASTRUCTURE NECESSARY FOR LONG-TERM COLLABORATION AND FUTURE CLINICAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE INTEGRATION. PROJECT ACTIVITIES INCLUDE CONDUCTING COMMUNITY HEALTH NEEDS ASSESSMENTS FOR PARTICIPATING HOSPITALS THAT LACK CURRENT ASSESSMENTS; EVALUATING ORGANIZATIONAL READINESS AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR SHARED SERVICES; STRENGTHENING NETWORK GOVERNANCE; DEVELOPING A REGIONAL STRATEGIC PLAN AND SUSTAINABILITY FRAMEWORK; CREATING STANDARDIZED DATA ANALYTICS AND PERFORMANCE DASHBOARDS; PROVIDING EDUCATION AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO IMPROVE READINESS FOR VALUE-BASED CARE; AND CREATING THE INFRASTRUCTURE TO EXPAND PARTNERSHIPS WITH FEDERALLY QUALIFIED HEALTH CENTERS, RURAL HEALTH CLINICS, BEHAVIORAL HEALTH PROVIDERS, EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES, PUBLIC HEALTH AGENCIES, LONG-TERM CARE PROVIDERS, ACADEMIC INSTITUTIONS, AND OTHER COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS. THE PROJECT WILL BE LED BY THE RURAL HOSPITAL ALLIANCE THROUGH AN EXPERIENCED LEADERSHIP TEAM THAT INCLUDES A NETWORK ADMINISTRATOR, FULL-TIME PROJECT MANAGER, PARTICIPATING HOSPITAL EXECUTIVES, AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE PARTNERS WITH EXPERTISE IN STRATEGIC PLANNING, NETWORK DEVELOPMENT, DATA ANALYTICS, AND VALUE-BASED CARE. A PROJECT STEERING COMMITTEE COMPOSED OF PARTICIPATING ORGANIZATIONS WILL GUIDE IMPLEMENTATION, MONITOR PROGRESS, AND ENSURE ACCOUNTABILITY THROUGHOUT THE PROJECT PERIOD. BY THE END OF THE PROJECT, THE NETWORK WILL HAVE COMPLETED REGIONAL PLANNING ACTIVITIES THAT POSITION PARTICIPATING ORGANIZATIONS FOR FUTURE IMPLEMENTATION OF SHARED SERVICES AND COORDINATED CARE. EXPECTED OUTCOMES INCLUDE STRENGTHENED GOVERNANCE, EXPANDED REGIONAL PARTNERSHIPS, COMPLETED COMMUNITY HEALTH NEEDS ASSESSMENTS WHERE NEEDED, STANDARDIZED PERFORMANCE DASHBOARDS, IMPROVED ORGANIZATIONAL READINESS FOR VALUE-BASED CARE, A COMPREHENSIVE CLINICAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE INTEGRATION ROADMAP, AND A LONG-TERM SUSTAINABILITY PLAN. THESE ACTIVITIES WILL STRENGTHEN COLLABORATION AMONG RURAL HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS, IMPROVE ORGANIZATIONAL CAPACITY, ENHANCE ACCESS TO COORDINATED HEALTHCARE SERVICES, AND PRESERVE ESSENTIAL HEALTHCARE FOR RESIDENTS OF THE MISSISSIPPI DELTA. THE PROJECT DIRECTLY SUPPORTS HRSA'S GOAL OF STRENGTHENING RURAL HEALTHCARE NETWORKS WHILE BUILDING A MORE RESILIENT AND SUSTAINABLE HEALTHCARE DELIVERY SYSTEM FOR MEDICALLY UNDERSERVED RURAL COMMUNITIES.