Chapter 2: Dissemination of Rural Hospital Flexibility Program Tracking Project Findings

Rural Hospital Flexibility Program Tracking Project

Chapter 2
Dissemination of Rural Hospital Flexibility
Program Tracking Project Findings

Keith Mueller, Ph.D.
RUPRI

During the first year of the Rural Hospital Flexibility Program Tracking Project (Tracking Project), the following dissemination activities were completed:

1. Creation of a web site specific to the Tracking Project.

2. Various presentations of the Tracking Project design and early results.

3. Initiation of a special publication series, “Findings From the Field.”

4. Coordination with the Technical Assistance and Services Center (TASC).

5. Work with an advisory committee.

6. Consultation to state offices of rural health (ORH) on their own tracking and evaluation activities.

1. Creation of a Web Site

The webmaster employed by the Rural Policy Research Institute (RUPRI) created a web site for this project, accessible through the RUPRI site, or independently (www.rupri.org/rhfp-track/). The site was created using the original tracking project design to define sections of the site: general information, design, results, and contacts. Since that time the site has been used to establish a private web to be used by members of the Tracking Project, and to post a pre-site visit data collection instrument that sites can download and complete electronically. The site includes the “Findings from the Field” and materials referenced by those reports.

During the final quarter of the first year, the web site will be redesigned, reflecting the more advanced state of the Tracking Project. The following changes are anticipated:

Creating a separate section for “Findings from the Field” and supporting documents.
Creating a separate section for data that tracks activities in the state Rural Hospital Flexibility Program (RHFP) (e.g., number of Critical Access Hospitals [CAHs]).
Maintaining the section for Tracking Project results, but including a function allowing dialogue about what can be done at the state level.
Creating appropriate links, including a “hot link” to the TASC web site.

2. Presentations of Tracking Design and Results

Members of the project team provided presentations about the design of the Tracking Project at each of the five regional meetings of the state offices of rural health. The presentations included the purpose of the project, the selection of states and hospitals for site visits, information about the number of CAHs, both current and predicted, and an overview of questions being used in the site visits.

Presentations were also provided in other forums, including individual state meetings. The project team organized and completed a special concurrent session at the Annual Meeting of the National Rural Health Association (NRHA). Members of the project team have been available as consultants to any individual state tracking efforts, although requests have largely been limited to localized efforts. Specific regions of the country have been assigned to each participating rural health research center.

3. Findings from the Field

The original strategy for dissemination was modified during the project year. Rather than developing somewhat lengthy papers based on the information collected during site visits, the Tracking Project team decided to develop a series of very short documents, each describing an innovative practice being employed at one or more of the sites. A list of topics to be presented in this manner was developed. At the time of this narrative three have been written and disseminated. Each “Finding” is no longer than 3.5 pages. They are prepared on construction strength paper, hopefully for extensive use. The “Findings” are posted on the web site, and mailed to a distribution list that includes:

State offices of rural health.
State project officers for the RHFP.
State hospital associations.
The Federal Office of Rural Health Policy (FORHP) (multiple copies).
Professional associations.
The hospitals visited as part of this project.

The balance of the original “Findings” will be published and disseminated during the first project year. See Appendix 5.

4. Collaboration with the Technical Assistance and Services Center (TASC)

The RUPRI representative to the Tracking Project team serves on the Advisory Committee to the TASC. The Director of the TASC is invited to Tracking Project meetings. The Tracking Project team will work more closely with the TASC as more information is collected about the implementation of the RHFP.

5. An Advisory Committee Works with the Tracking Project

An Advisory Committee was appointed by the FORHP. The Tracking Project team has worked with this committee during the first year, particularly the members of the committee from various state offices of rural health. These advisors have provided constructive criticisms of the design of the Tracking Project, and have reviewed products used in dissemination. The committee will be expanded in the second year to include expertise in the management of Critical Access Hospitals and representation from the state hospital association.

6. Consulting to State Offices

Both formally and informally, the Tracking Project rural health research centers and RUPRI provided consultation to state offices of rural health on their state-level tracking activities. These consultations have largely addressed tracking methodology. In year two it is thought that this activity would be most effectively channeled through TASC, so Centers will look to that organization to manage requests for assistance.

Examples of consultations the first year include:

WWAMI worked with the project in Washington State.
University of Minnesota worked with the project in Minnesota.
RUPRI worked with the project in Nebraska.
Arkansas requested assistance from the University of North Carolina.
Florida requested the emergency medical system tracking protocol.

Chapter 3: Report on the Implementation of the Rural Hospital Flexibility Program (UNC)

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Last modified: 05/07/08