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): $146,400.00
Major Accomplishments in FY 2006 (October 1, 2005 – September
30, 2006):
- Provide targeted technical assistance to all safety-net providers
in rural and underserved areas including: Rural Health Clinics,
Federally Qualified Health Centers, Critical Access Hospitals,
small rural hospitals and Emergency Medical Services among others.
- Provide a multitude of services to rural providers including
primary care recruitment and retention, targeted Rural Health
Clinic services, economic impact analysis, access to affordable
capital and a variety of targeted educational and clinical workshops.
- Serve as a convener of multiple state-level and regional parties
around issues affecting the rural and underserved.
SORH Contact Information:
Office: SC Office of Rural Health
Address: 107 Saluda Pointe Drive Lexington, SC 29072
Phone: 803.454.3850
Fax: 803.454.3860
Director: Graham Adams, PhD
2) 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.
Flex Award (FY06): $395,350.00
Program Highlights:
- Number of Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) supported: 5
- Number of Critical Access-eligible Hospitals supported: 12
- Number of Rural Health Networks developed: 5
- Number of Emergency Medical Services (EMS) assisted: 70
- Number of Rural Communities assisted:168
Major Accomplishments:
- Continue supporting five rural health networks with sustainability/shared
services and joint venture planning, hosting annual network coordinators
retreat and first annual statewide Rural Health Network Summit
and assisting networks with increasing awareness through marketing
efforts and case studies. The Rural Health Networks encompass
five Critical Access Hospitals, 10 small rural hospitals, 5 Federally
Qualified Health Centers, 5 Rural Health Clinics, and numerous
other community-based safety-net providers.
- Integrating quality improvement strategies by educating front-line
care givers, medical staff, rural quality liaisons in hospitals
and board members and working closely with the SC Quality Improvement
Organization and SC Hospital Association with the 5 Million Lives
Campaign initiatives.
- Supporting CAHs and Rural Hospitals by conducting Rural Health
Clinic feasibility studies, hosting CAH annual meeting, and Electronic
Health Record vendor day, providing marketing assistance, and
enhanced recruitment and retention services.
- Educating rural EMS providers through lunch and learn sessions,
EMS Boot Camp and Leadership Conferences, implementing a pilot
project utilizing HRSA’s Benchmark, Indicator, and Scoring
process, educating staff on the Comprehensive Advanced Life Support
courses and providing paramedic scholarships.
3) 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 approximately $9,000.
SHIP Award (FY06): $98,274.00
Program Highlights:
- Hospitals receiving funding: 10
- Hospitals in consortiums, networks or systems: 10
- Hospitals using funds for QI and /or reduction of medical errors:
10
- Hospitals using grant funds for Health Information Technology:
0
Major Accomplishments:
- Provide funding for 10 SHIP hospitals in the state and serve
as clearing house for information on services and available resources
- 20% to support HIPPA compliance through purchase of training
and educational resources for employee orientation
- 80% to support quality improvement and reduction of medical
error initiatives
- Provide advanced technical support to the 10 hospitals in the
5 Million Lives Campaign and assist with hospital board engagement
in quality improvement.
Total HRSA Funding (FY06): $640,024
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