Funding and Sustainability Strategies for Rural Mobile Healthcare Programs
Rural organizations can use different strategies to sustain mobile healthcare programs. When deciding which strategies to pursue, programs should consider their patient population, program activities, and funding mechanisms available through their local health system, as well as state and government agencies. The Rural Community Health Toolkit provides information about general Sustainability Strategies.
Developing a sustainability plan can help outline strategies and practices that will ensure the continuation of a mobile healthcare program after the initial grant period or implementation phase ends. A sustainability plan should identify the key elements of the program — including staffing, technology resources, services, and partnerships — and outline strategies to maintain each component. In addition, it should describe how early results and findings will be shared with interest holders, partners, and policymakers to obtain their buy-in and support.
The Program Sustainability Assessment Tool, developed by the Center for Public Health Systems Science, is an online self-assessment questionnaire. It provides a scoring system for eight program processes and structures, including organizational capacity, strategic planning, and partnerships. Program staff can use this tool to guide their sustainability planning activities and engage with partners to identify gaps or challenges.
Some mobile healthcare programs have found it challenging to transition from grant funding to alternative funding sources. Without advance planning, communities may be unprepared to support program services that were being provided under the grant at no direct cost. As a result, providers should begin sustainability planning early in the life of the grant to build relationships with potential funders and to collect data that demonstrate the program's value.
Other key steps to take include:
- Identify and grow program champions who can build support for the program with funders and policymakers
- Establish and maintain strong partnerships within the healthcare system and the community
- Create a funding source, such as a partnership with an accountable care organization or establishing a mill levy tax (a type of local property tax that can generate revenue to cover program costs)
- Develop a process to train and support future community paramedics and other mobile healthcare staff
- Plan for future challenges and developing strategies to address them
For more information about funding and sustainability strategies, see our grant writing and capital funding topic guides.
Resources to Learn More
School-Based Mobile
Health Toolkit: Sustainability
Website
Contains information on the sustainability of school-based mobile health programs, emphasizing key components of
a sound business model including financial planning, analysis of financial standing, billing infrastructure, and
diversity of funding.
Organization(s): School-Based Health Alliance