Project Grant UR347053

RURAL EMERGENCY HOSPITAL TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE CENTER - APPLICANT: RURAL HEALTH REDESIGN CENTER ORGANIZATION, INC. 625 FORESTER ST. FL 8 HARRISBURG, PA 17120-0701 WWW.RHRCO.ORG 501C3 NON-PROFIT DUNS: 117873025 PROJECT OFFICER: JANICE WALTERS RHRCO CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER OF PROGRAMS (717) 964-0636 JW@RHRCO.ORG AMOUNT REQUESTED: 2,500,000 PER YEAR PROJECT PARTNERS 1. RURAL HEALTH REDESIGN CENTER ORGANIZATION, INC. 2. MATHEMATICA 3. WELLNESS & EQUITY ALLIANCE PROPOSED PROJECT: IN COLLABORATION WITH THE PARTNERS LISTED ABOVE, THE RURAL HEALTH REDESIGN CENTER ORGANIZATION, INC. (RHRCO) BRINGS FORTH THIS PROPOSAL FOR THE RURAL EMERGENCY HOSPITAL TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE CENTER COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT UNDER THE HRSA-22-167 NOTICE OF FUNDING OPPORTUNITY. UPON IMPLEMENTATION OF THIS PROJECT, THE PARTNERS WILL PROVIDE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO RURAL HOSPITALS INTERESTED IN EXPLORING THE NEW RURAL EMERGENCY HOSPITAL (REH) DESIGNATION MADE AVAILABLE THROUGH THE MEDICARE RURAL HOSPITAL FLEXIBILITY PROGRAM. THE PARTNERS WILL REPLICATE SCALABLE SOLUTIONS USED FOR SIMILAR PROGRAMS TO ASSIST ELIGIBLE CRITICAL ACCESS AND SMALL RURAL HOSPITAL WITH FINANCIAL ASSESSMENTS AND MODELING TO UNDERSTAND THE FEASIBILITY OF AN REH CONVERSION, THE APPLICATION PROCESS TO CMS FOR REH DESIGNATION, AND ONGOING SUPPORT TO REHS IMPLEMENTING SERVICE CHANGES AS A RESULT OF THE CONVERSION. WITH THE SCALABLE INFRASTRUCTURE OF THE RHRCO, THESE SERVICES CAN BE PROVIDED TO AS MANY HOSPITALS THAT COME FORTH DISPLAYING INTEREST IN THE REH DESIGNATION. THIS PROJECT WILL UTILIZE A COHORT-BASED APPROACH WITH OPPORTUNITY FOR ENROLLMENT TWICE PER YEAR. THE RHRCO RECOGNIZES THAT DUE TO THE NEWNESS OF THE DESIGNATION, INTEREST MAY BE LIMITED UPON ITS INITIAL LAUNCH BUT IS LIKELY TO EVOLVE OVERTIME AS HOSPITALS BECOME MORE FAMILIAR WITH THE OPPORTUNITY. THE USE OF THIS COHORT APPROACH ALLOWS FOR THE ACCOMMODATION OF INCREASING INTEREST THROUGHOUT THE DURATION OF THE PROJECT. THE RHRCO RECOGNIZES THAT ESTABLISHMENT OF RAPPORT AND TRUST WITH HOSPITAL LEADERSHIP IS THE CORNERSTONE TO CREATING EFFECTIVE CHANGE. IN ADDITION TO THE RHRCOS LEADERSHIP WHO HAS YEARS OF RURAL EXPERIENCE, RHRCO SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS (SMES) WILL BE USED TO SUPPORT PROVIDERS THROUGH THE REH APPLICATION PROCESS BY PROVIDING 1:1 COACHING AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE. THESE SMES ARE FORMER EXECUTIVES OF RURAL HOSPITALS WITH REAL, LIVED EXPERIENCE IN LEADING RURAL HEALTHCARE ORGANIZATIONS THROUGH SIGNIFICANT CHANGE. WITH OVER 100 YEARS OF HEALTHCARE LEADERSHIP EXPERIENCE COMBINED, THE ABILITY OF THESE SMES TO PROVIDE FIRSTHAND, PEER-BASED KNOWLEDGE RATHER THAN ANECDOTES IS A MAJOR DIFFERENTIATOR OF HOW THIS CONSORTIUM WILL PROVIDE TAILORED, RURAL-RELEVANT ASSISTANCE TO HOSPITALS EXPLORING THE REH DESIGNATION. SINCE ITS INCEPTION, THE RURAL HEALTH REDESIGN CENTER ORGANIZATION, INC. (RHRCO) HAS SUPPORTED THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE PENNSYLVANIA RURAL HEALTH MODEL (PARHM), AN ALTERNATIVE PAYMENT MODEL AIMED AT TRANSFORMING TO A VALUE-BASED HEALTHCARE DELIVERY SYSTEM IN RURAL PENNSYLVANIA. THE RHRCO ENGAGED WITH OVER 30 HOSPITALS, BOTH CRITICAL ACCESS AND PPS HOSPITALS, TO ASSIST WITH ASSESSMENT OF THE OPPORTUNITY AND GUIDED EIGHTEEN RURAL HOSPITALS THROUGH THE TRANSITION TO VALUE-BASED CARE. MUCH OF THE WORK INCLUDED WITH THIS REH OPPORTUNITY ALIGNS WITH THE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE PROVIDED TO THESE PENNSYLVANIA HOSPITALS. THIS INCLUDED INITIAL FINANCIAL MODELLING OF THE PARHM FOR EACH HOSPITAL, TAILORED GUIDANCE AND STRATEGIC PLANNING THROUGHOUT THE TRANSITION, AND ONGOING STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT WITH ALL HOSPITALS AND PAYER PARTICIPANTS, STATE AND FEDERAL PARTNERS, AND OTHER INVESTED PARTIES. THE RHRCO BELIEVES THAT MUCH OF THIS WORK IS TRANSLATABLE TO RURAL COMMUNITIES BEYOND PENNSYLVANIA AND SEES A TREMENDOUS OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE SIMILAR SERVICES THROUGH THE TERMS OF THIS COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT.