Rural Project Examples Addressing Hospitals - Rural Health Information Hub

Boone County Health Center Pulmonary Rehabilitation Program
Updated/reviewed June 2022

Need: Evidenced-based intervention to improve function and quality of life for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and other chronic lower respiratory conditions.
Intervention: Pulmonary rehabilitation program implementation in 1989.
Results: Compared to a national average of only about 3% of referred Medicare beneficiaries actually enrolling in pulmonary rehabilitation, 60% of the program's referred patients enroll. Averaging around 15 patients/year completing the program, a large combined cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation maintenance population averages 8,000 visits/year.

Healthy Monadnock Alliance
Updated/reviewed February 2022

Need: Improved health outcomes for Monadnock Region, a rural area of New Hampshire.
Intervention: A wide-scale effort across multiple sectors is aiming to improve health outcomes throughout the region.
Results: Community health trends have been tracked over time, and progress on goals such as increasing the number of residents with healthcare coverage, opportunities for physical activity, access to healthy foods, and smoking cessation has been made.

Indiana Statewide Rural Health Network (InSRHN)
Updated/reviewed July 2021

Need: To improve sustainability and financial viability for rural healthcare providers throughout Indiana.
Intervention: A network of rural healthcare providers for Critical Access and other hospitals in Indiana that are dedicated to improving their ability to deliver efficient and high-quality healthcare for their rural residents.
Results: The network has been leveraged to increase access to resources, coordinate services, and improve and expand healthcare access.

Avita Health System Comprehensive Cardiology Program
Added April 2021

Need: Population health approach to decreasing area deaths from cardiovascular disease.
Intervention: A health system-level investment in level II cardiac catheterization services and the required specialized cardiology workforce.
Results: Since August 2018, the Avita Health System in north central Ohio has provided local cardiovascular services that have decreased hospital transfers, increased care coordination, and provided education and prevention activities that, with time, will impact population health cardiovascular outcomes.

Leadership Development Program
Updated/reviewed March 2021

Need: Reasonably-priced leadership education was needed for professional development of healthcare organization managers in southeastern Idaho and western Wyoming.
Intervention: Creation of a health network providing leadership training opportunities for member hospitals.
Results: Increased leadership and managerial quality, and decreased professional development costs for rural hospitals of southeastern Idaho and western Wyoming.

Southwest Health System Antibiotic Stewardship Program
Updated/reviewed March 2021

Need: Impact patient care and safety issues related to antibiotic use in southwest Colorado.
Intervention: Pharmacy-led antibiotic stewardship program for inpatient, outpatient, and long-term care settings.
Results: With antibiotic use guidelines, refined infection diagnostics, and first-choice antibiotic selections, all care settings now see decreased days of treatment and decreased resistance patterns.

West Virginia's Partners In Health Network Regional Collaborative Services
Updated/reviewed September 2020

Need: Coordinated approach to healthcare delivery in central and southern West Virginia.
Intervention: Creation of a nonprofit organization that focused on quality and collaboration.
Results: With an ability to provide services that meet the evolving needs of patients, providers, and communities, the organization provides unique services, such as a credentialing service and web-based data sharing care management tool.

Medical Home Plus
Updated/reviewed February 2020

Need: To help reduce diabetes, depression, and stroke risk in rural residents.
Intervention: A collaborative care model was implemented in the Idaho counties of Clearwater, Idaho, and Lewis.
Results: Increased number of patients with controlled blood sugar, controlled blood pressure, and higher depression screening rates.

University of Mississippi Medical Center's Center for Telehealth
Updated/reviewed January 2020

Need: Rural areas in Mississippi often lack adequate access to specialty healthcare services such as emergency medicine, stroke neurology, pediatric specialists and psychiatrists.
Intervention: The University of Mississippi Medical Center created the Center for Telehealth to deliver quality specialty services through telehealth video conferencing and remote monitoring tools to the underserved areas of Mississippi.
Results: The program has been successfully implemented throughout many of the state's rural hospitals and has reduced transfers and geographic barriers for patients.

Rural Project Examples: Hospitals