RURAL ROUTE

August 2022

August 29

Rural HIT Coalition Webinar

August 30

Telehealth Webinar

Alt. Origination Sites

August 31

FORHP SHIP (H3H) Webinar

September 13

Flex FY21 Wrap-Up Webinar

September 15

RHPTP Kick-off Webinar

August 17:

TASC 90

Leadership Sustainability

State Flex Program Staff Sustainability Guide and Toolkit

Network Sustainability Toolkit

Flex Colleagues,

There are many moving parts in the Flex world during this time. Please reach out to us if you have any questions.

An upcoming "Flex FY21 Wrap-Up Webinar" on September 13 will provide important reporting information. Please make plans to attend.

Please refer to the email from Krista Mastel at FORHP regarding the webinar they are hosting regarding the competitive SHIP application (H3H). Please email kmastel@hrsa.gov with questions.

If you are looking for more information on the Rural Emergency Hospital (REH) provider type, there are numerous webinars and resources, such as the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) website, that can help states navigate licensure standards for the new designation.

Matt Bancroft

Program Specialist - TASC/SHIP

Hello Flex Coordinators!

Congratulations on closing out Flex Program Year Three! I know I speak for all of us here at FORHP that we are so proud of the work you all accomplished this past program year and are very excited to see how Year Four goes! I hope you all have had great conversations with your Project Officer regarding your Year 4 Notice of Award as we prepare for our new program year, beginning September 1.

I hope you all have had a chance to review the Virtual Knowledge Group webinar recording from 8/4 regarding the new proposed Rural Emergency Hospital (REH) model and the supplemental funding you received with your Flex award. This supplemental funding aims to inform rural communities about the new model, share resources developed through the national REH TA Center, and engage state and regional partners.

When thinking of how to engage rural hospitals, we know there is no one better than the Flex Program to help with that! Please utilize your existing networks to ensure these communities have the information they need to make an informed decision on this new provider designation. We know there are still many questions that won’t be answered until the final rule is published later this year. The new national TA center will be up and running by September 30 to answer more questions as they come up.

On September 13, at 1 PM CDT, the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy (FORHP) will host a webinar with TASC for the Flex Fiscal Year 2021 Wrap-Up. We will discuss the following reports and provide detailed instructions:

FY 2021 Performance Improvement Measurement System (PIMS) Report – Due: October 30, 2022 (Friday, October 28)
FY 2021 End of Year Report (EoYR) – Due: November 30, 2022
FY 2021 EMS Supplement End of Year Report (EMS-EoYR) – Due November 30, 2022
FY 2021 Federal Financial Report (FFR) – Due: January 30, 2023
Prior Approval Carryover Request – Due: 30 days after FFR submission

And, a final congratulations on finishing your Quality Innovation Labs! We all know how much hard work and dedication you put into these projects, and we are excited to see the results. Keep an eye on your emails, as we will send information for data submission soon.

Please do not hesitate to contact your Project Officer with questions or concerns.

Thank you,

Laura Seifert

Federal Office of Rural Health Policy Updates

CAH Regulatory Updates

CMS Releases Maternity Care Action Plan to Implement Maternal Health Blueprint

HHS Accelerates Response to Monkeypox

Multiple new resources, guidance, and regulations exist on the

Flex Forum (login required)

News and Updates:

Reverse Site Visit Recordings

The 2022 Flex Program Virtual Reverse Site Visit (RSV) recordings are available for playback on the RSV event page.

Please review your favorite session, share information with your staff, or watch a session you were unable to attend.

Staff Flex Program Staff Sustainability Guide and Toolkit

Turnover of key state Flex Program staff has been a problem since the inception of the Medicare Rural Hospital Flexibility (Flex) Program. Given the increasing complexity of health care and the many dimensions of the Flex Program, there is a steep and time-consuming learning curve for new Flex Program staff. This guide is designed to help state Flex Programs recruit good Flex Program staff, train them successfully, retain them longer, and then plan an orderly process of finding and training new staff before the outgoing staff leave.

Replay the August TASC 90 covering the Staff Flex Sustainability Guide and Toolkit

National Quality Forum (NQF) Report Identifies Key Measures for Improving Health Outcomes for Rural Populations

The National Quality Forum (NQF) today released a report outlining 37 measures of health to address the specific needs of communities in rural areas. The report, 2022 Key Rural Measures: An Updated List of Measures to Advance Rural Health Priorities, builds on the work of the NQF Rural Health Advisory Group and updates the list first developed by the group in 2017–2018.

Each module includes a 20-30-minute educational video, reflection and discussion questions, resources, and suggested activities to support learning. Hear from rural leadership experts, rural hospital senior leaders, and new leaders!

Watch the Series Trailer

Visit the Series Website

Flex Program Welcomes and Farewells

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Several state Flex programs have had staffing changes recently. It is always exciting to welcome new partners and see what unique talents they bring to rural health! Please join me in welcoming and congratulating the following:

Welcomes:

Bobby Barclay, FMT

We hate to lose amazing people but wish nothing but the best for our friends as they embark on new adventures. The following have, or will be leaving, their Flex positions:

Exiting staff:

El Cameron, WY

Anish Prakash, CA

Craig Baarson, MN

Diamond Bowens, MS

MBQIP Updates

The MBQIP Monthly includes:

CAHs Can! National Rural Virtual Quality Improvement Mentor Profile Series: Stacey Karvoski
Data: CAHs Measure Up – Top 10 States with Outstanding Quality Performance
Tips: Robyn Quips – Outpatient Measure Abstraction Quiz
Tools and Resources – Helping CAHs Succeed in Quality Reporting & Improvement

Please send your MBQIP questions to tasc@ruralcenter.org. TASC will ensure your question reaches the appropriate person.

Webinars, Recordings, and Resources

Playbacks

TASC 90: Flex Program Staff Sustainability Guide and Toolkit

Rural Emergency Hospital Mode l VKG (Flex Forum login required)

RHC Performance Measurement and Quality Improvement Webinar

DRCHSD Finance Series: Rural Health Clinics Financial and Operational Best Practices

A full list of resources is available in the TASC Resource Library.

For any questions or concerns, please contact us:

tasc@ruralcenter.org - 877-321-9393 - www.ruralcenter.org

This project is/was supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) under grant number UB1RH24206, Information Services to Rural Hospital Flexibility Program Grantees, $1,560,000 (0% financed with nongovernmental sources). This information or content and conclusions are those of the author and should not be construed as the official position or policy of, nor should any endorsements be inferred by HRSA, HHS, or the U.S. Government.