State Offices of Rural Health Grant Program (SORH)

The goal of the State Offices of Rural Health (SORH) grant program is to assist States in strengthening rural health care delivery systems by creating a focal point for rural health within each State. The program provides an institutional framework that links small rural communities with State and Federal resources to help develop long term solutions to rural health problems. The SORH grant program features a single grantee from each of the 50 United States. The program is a Federal-State partnership that requires a State funding match of $3 for each $1 of Federal funding.
SORH Award Amount (FY06): $150,000

Major Accomplishments in FY 2006 (October 1, 2005 – September 30, 2006):

An annual rural health conference is held each April in cooperation with the Michigan Rural Health Association and the Michigan Rural Health Clinics Organization. In 2006, over 180 people attended the 9th Annual Rural Health conference attending sessions addressing telehealth, RHC and hospital issues.

A Solution Focused Brief Therapy Workshop was held in Petosky. This research based time limited, cost effective model is especially beneficial to rural communities where access to mental health services is limited.

A Health Information Trade (HIT) Show was held in Mt. Pleasant. The focus of the Trade Show was to provide an opportunity for participants to obtain information on the latest technology and to provide sessions directed to hospital-based personnel and physician practices; 122 attended. The MCRH coordinates live videoconferencing presentations throughout rural Michigan with REMEC and the Upper Peninsula Telehealth Network.

• Arthritis Grand Rounds - in partnership with the Michigan Arthritis Collaborative provided nine grand round sessions. In 2006, 162 people attended Arthritis Grand Rounds.
• Geriatric Grand Rounds - in partnership with the Geriatric Education Center at MSU provided nine grand round sessions. In 2006, 254 people attended Geriatric Grand Rounds.
• Psychiatry Grand Rounds - in partnership with the MSU Department of Psychiatry provided four grand round sessions. In 2006, 93 people attended Psychiatry Grand Rounds. Nursing Grand Rounds – in partnership with the MSU College of Nursing provided four grand round sessions. In 2006, 509 people attended Nursing Grand Rounds.

The MCRH partnered with the Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program to ffer a webinar to rural health clinics, hospitals, pharmacists and other providers; 38 people participated.

The MCRH provides a quarterly newsletter on current federal and state information, educational opportunities, and services. Multiple listservs allow the MCRH to serve as a clearinghouse for state and federal information on data, grants, studies, surveys, policy briefs, and updates. This allows rural residents a consistent and reliable source of information.

SORH Contact Information:
Office: Michigan Center for Rural Health
Address: B-218 West Fee Hall, MSU, East Lansing, MI 48824
Phone: (517) 432-1066
Fax: (517) 432-0007
Email: barnas@msu.edu
Director: John E Barnas

Other Grant Programs

1. Medicare Rural Hospital Flexibility Grant Program (Flex)

The Flex Program helps sustain access to high quality health care services in rural America. It facilitates the development and support of community-based collaborative rural delivery systems in all grantee states through conversion of hospitals to critical access status, development of rural healthcare networks and integration of EMS.
Award (FY06): $510,000

Program Highlights:

• Number of Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) supported: 34
• Number of Critical Access-eligible Hospitals supported: 0
• Number of Rural Health Networks developed: 5
• Number of Emergency Medical Services (EMS) assisted: 35
• Number of Rural Communities assisted: 68

Major Accomplishments:
The MCRH works cooperatively with the Michigan Department of Community Health and the Michigan Health & Hospital Association to develop and implement the program. On a State and national level the MCRH works to educate and inform key policymakers and advocacy organizations on the important issues related to the program.

An annual Critical Access Hospital conference is held each November. The 8th Annual CAH conference was conducted with 125 CAH administrators, network partners, and organizational partners in attendance. Sessions included a federal policy updates, State Rural Health Plan update, Peer Review, EMS budget building, a 3Rnet presentation, and a CAH financial analysis review.

Services provided to CAH communities:

• Continued to support the Michigan MICAH Quality Network at quarterly meetings, coordinating health indicator gathering and entry.
• Continued to strengthen relationships with MDCH, MHA, CMS, and MPRO.
• Publish monthly newsletter “The Chronicle”.
• Provided 3 health care provider manpower analysis’ for CAH communities.
• Surveyed three communities to gather information on their perception of care delivered by the local CAH. This was a beta project and will expand next year.
• Held the first CFO Benchmarking meeting. The group has developed relevant financial indicators and will gather aggregate data and review for improvement.
• Began meeting and developing the State Rural Health Plan.

2. Small Rural Hospital Performance Improvement Grant Program (SHIP)

The goal of SHIP is to assist small (less than 50 beds) rural hospitals pay for any or all of the following: 1) costs related to implementation of prospective payment systems, (2) compliance with provisions of HIPAA and 3) reduction of medical errors and quality improvement. State Offices of Rural Health (SORH) help eligible rural hospitals to participate in SHIP. Eligible hospitals submit an application to their SORH; the SORH prepares and submits a single grant application to HRSA on behalf of all hospital applicants in the State. There are approximately 1600 eligible hospitals nationwide and each usually receives between approximately $9,000.
Award (FY 06): $357,360

Program Highlights:

• Hospitals receiving funding: 40
• • Hospitals in consortiums, networks or systems: 10
• • Hospitals using funds for QI and /or reduction of medical errors: 31
• • Hospitals using grant funds for Health Information Technology: 8

Major Accomplishments:

Assisted 40 rural hospitals with HIPAA compliance, implementation of the prospective payment system, or quality of care/patient safety issues.

Total HRSA Funding (FY 06): $1,017,360