Benchmarking
In response to multiple requests for benchmarking tools geared towards small rural hospitals, the Colorado Rural Health Center (CRHC) is excited to offer the
Quality Health Indicators (QHi) benchmarking tool! An initiative of the Kansas Rural Health Options Project, QHi allows rural hospitals up to 50 beds to benchmark against self-defined peer groups to learn best practices and set targets for improvement. For more information,
click here.
Credentialing
Credentialing of physicians and other healthcare practitioners has become a key risk management function for facilities, both large and small. Further, it has become a complex and seldom understood process. The CRHC Colorado Credentialing Network assists hospitals and clinics with credentialing issues specific to accreditation requirements, significant legislation, and civil litigation. For more information, email jd@coruralhealth.org.
General Resources
- Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) CAH Center – CMS information and resources for CAHs
- CMS Open Door Forums – The CMS "Open Door Forums" provide an opportunity for live dialogue between CMS and the provider community, in order to understand and help find solutions to contemporary program issues
- Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) – CDPHE conducts CAH surveys in Colorado through their Health Facilities Division and manages the state’s EMS and Trauma programs
- Flex Monitoring Team – The Health Resources and Service Administration (HRSA) is currently funding an evaluation of the CAH program on a national level through the FLEX Monitoring Team
- H1N1 Information – The latest information on H1N1 and email listserv sign up for access to information
- National Rural Health Association (NRHA) – NRHA is a national membership organization whose mission is to improve the health and healthcare of rural Americans and to provide leadership on rural issues through advocacy, communications, education and research
- Rural Assistance Center (RAC) – RAC provides customized assistance, such as web and database searches on rural topics and funding resources, linking users to organizations, and furnishing relevant publications
- Rural Policy Research Institute (RUPRI) – RUPRI conducts policy-relevant research and facilitates public dialogue to assist policymakers in understanding the rural impacts of public policies and programs
- Technical Assistance and Services Center (TASC) – TASC provides information on the FLEX program, statistics on CAH, tools for CAH conversion, and federal/state CAH resources
- TrailBlazer Health Enterprises, LLC – TrailBlazer is the Fiscal Intermediary (FI) for Colorado
- USDA Rural Information Center (RIC) – USDA’s RIC provides customized information products to specific inquiries including assistance in economic revitalization issues; local government planning projects; funding sources; technical assistance programs; research studies; and other related issues
HIPAA Compliance
The following resources provide information and consulting to help your facility in meeting the document data security practices as mandated by HIPAA, including: assessing policies and procedures of HIPAA security, conducting risk and vulnerability assessment, developing disaster recovery programs, and protection of electronic communications. Contact CRHC for additional information and resources.
Health Information Technology
CRHC recognizes that there are imminent challenges in the rural setting to implementing and adopting health information technology (HIT). Among these challenges are the resources it takes to adopt new technology and the internal expertise to assess current workflow and find viable HIT solutions that will meet long-term objectives. CRHC’s Technology for Healthcare Excellence (THE) Consortium provides cost-effective solutions to solve rural provider HIT needs through group-purchasing solutions for hardware and software, assessments, road-mapping, training, cost-savings, and on-going support for meeting the meaningful use criteria and accessing ARRA funding. For more information, click here.