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):

• Supported annual regional conference for seventy rural health providers
• Supported regional rural oral health conference for dental practitioners, state policy, staff, foundations and insurers.
• Developed Vermont rural heath needs assessment
• Two new rural FQHCs approved and operational
• Supported VT dental workforce plan
• Supported VT Recruitment and Retention Center activities for rural health providers

SORH Contact Information:
Vermont Office of Rural Health
Address: Vermont Department of Health
P.O. Box 70
Burlington VT 05402
Phone: 802-951-4006
Fax: 802-651-1634

Director: Denis Barton

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.
Flex Award (FY06): $ 585,600

Program Highlights:

• Number of Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) supported: 8
• Number of Critical Access-eligible Hospitals supported: 1
• Number of Rural Health Networks developed: 1
• Number of Emergency Medical Services (EMS) assisted: 6
• Number of Rural Communities assisted: 18

Major Accomplishments:

• Startup of Vermont Rural Health Alliance Network for Community Health Centers and Critical Access Hospitals HIT integration quality improvement and 340B drug discount initiatives
• State and regional CAH performance improvement initiatives for three Vermont hospitals
• Supported Vermont multi state EMS Captive Insurance planning with Minnesota and Maine
• Funded three EMS/CAH integration projects
• Supported participation in Institute for Healthcare Improvement IMPACT patient safety program for all eight VT CAHs
  
  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 approximately $9,000.
SHIP Award (FY06): $84,060

Program Highlights:

• Hospitals receiving funding: 9
• Hospitals in consortiums, networks or systems: 9
• Hospitals using funds for QI and /or reduction of medical errors: 7
• Hospitals using grant funds for Health Information Technology: 2

Major Accomplishments:

• Three hospitals expended funds to purchase automated systems to reduce medication errors.
• One hospital used funds to support staffing for Institute of Healthcare Improvement IMPACT program.
• One hospital purchased continued participation in a risk adjusted quality data system to provide benchmarking information for peer review and QI.
• One hospital implemented a QI project that improved access to primary care and diabetes care.
• One hospital focused on their OB/GYN practitioners and improved prenatal care.
• One hospital upgraded their radiology services to a digital system.
• One hospital invested in electronic medical records systems.

Total HRSA Funding (FY06): $ 819,660