State Rural Hospital Flexibility Program

PROJECT SUMMARY Our major accomplishments are as follows: . Simplify and expedite the CAH conversion process . KY Rural Health Works Program developed and implemented . Facilitate and assist in the development of rural health networks and councils . Technical assistance to hospitals and community leadership in: . RHC I FHQC . Grant writing . Quality of Care programs with KY Hospital Association . KY Rural Hospital Clinical Benchmarking Program .Joint commission survey preparation .Compdata for performance improvement . EMS .Funded paramedic and EMS training programs .Completed a statewide EMS needs assessment for KY Board of EMS . Program Evaluation .Completed a statewide analysis that evaluates the financial improvement ofCAHs . State health plan development .Continued development and revisions to include bioterrorism and disaster planning The intended direction for the 2004 KY Rural Hospital Flexibility Program will be to build on our previous accomplishments and include the following new objectives: . Continue assistance for and support of the CAH conversion process . Continue to support the KY Rural Health Works Program .To promote and support economic development to include health care infrastructure .To provide market I demand studies toward RHC I FQHC development . Continue to facilitate and assist in the rural health network and health council development . Technical assistance to hospitals and community leadership .Support and promote RHC I FQHC new starts & expansion .Grant writing . Quality of Care programs with KY Hospital Association .Continue to support the Quality improvement and Performance improvement programs . EMS .Continue to fund paramedic and EMS training programs .Continue to promote the integration of EMS into the rural local healthcare system . Program Evaluation .Continue statewide analysis I evaluation of program objectives .Continue to participate in the national Flex Program evaluation . State health plan development .Continue to revise the state health plan to include bioterrorism and disaster planning .Work with advisory committee to incorporate Healthy People 2010