State
Offices of Rural Health Grant Program (SORH)
The goal of the State Offices of Rural Health
(SORH) grant program is to assist States in strengthening rural
health care delivery systems by creating a focal point for rural
health within each State. The program provides an institutional
framework that links small rural communities with State and Federal
resources to help develop long term solutions to rural health problems.
The SORH grant program features a single grantee from each of the
50 United States. The program is a Federal-State partnership that
requires a State funding match of $3 for each $1 of Federal funding.
SORH Award Amount (FY06): $146,400
Major Accomplishments in FY 2006 (October 1, 2005 –
September 30, 2006):
- Provided practice start-up for four rural physicians with grant
program.
- Provide continuing education and upgraded nursing the skills
for over 200 rural nurses through the Nursing Skills Enhancement
Program.
- Funded five Rural Health Clinics with electronic health records
capability with the Rural Health Clinic Assistance grant.
- Assisted over 100 healthcare professionals and 90 community
representatives with rural job opportunities through the Office’s
annual job fair, HealthFind.
SORH Contact Information:
Office: Office of Rural Community
Affairs (Texas State Office of Rural Health)
Address: PO Box 12877, Austin, TX 78711
Phone: 512-936-6701
Fax: 512-936-6776
Email: orca@orca.state.tx.us
Director: Theresa K. Cruz, Director of Rural Health
2) Medicare Rural Hospital Flexibility Grant Program (Flex)
The Flex Program helps sustain access to high quality health care
services in rural America. It facilitates the development and support
of community-based collaborative rural delivery systems in all grantee
States through conversion of hospitals to critical access status,
development of rural healthcare networks and integration of EMS.
Flex Award (FY06): $610,000
Program Highlights:
- Number of Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) supported: 74
- Number of Critical Access-eligible Hospitals supported: 1
- Number of Rural Health Networks developed: 3
- Number of Emergency Medical Services (EMS) assisted: 8
- Number of Rural Communities assisted: 75
Major Accomplishments:
- Awarded 10 Rural Health Planning/Feasibility Study Grants to
support strategic health planning and feasibility studies;
- Awarded 4 Rural Health Technology Grants to purchase a lab
information system (LIS) application software/hardware, purchase
and implement an EHR system & facility wide scheduling program;
purchase a 9405 Model 520 Express server, OS400 software; radiology
imaging software with a label engine; and install a PACS system.
- Supported 3 Rural Health Networks to implement a smart card
health information system for senior citizens; develop a community-based
health education, promotion and outreach effort; and implement
initiatives that focus on substance abuse prevention, intervention
and awareness.
- Awarded 8 Rural EMS Enhancement Grants to improve rural/frontier
EMS response, delivery and service capacity. The program has supported
training and certifications for 17 new EMT-B, 3 new Paramedics,
and 39 CPR, ACLS and PALS certification courses in rural communities.
- Provided accredited healthcare continuing education programs
and services to all 74 CAHs;
- Awarded 49 training stipends to CAH Trustees for hospital board
education;
- Hosted a statewide CAH education/leadership conference.
3) Small Rural Hospital Performance Improvement Grant Program (SHIP)
The goal of SHIP is to assist small (less than 50 beds) rural hospitals
pay for any or all of the following: 1) costs related to implementation
of prospective payment systems, (2) compliance with provisions of
HIPAA and 3) reduction of medical errors and quality improvement.
State Offices of Rural Health (SORH) help eligible rural hospitals
to participate in SHIP. Eligible hospitals submit an application
to their SORH; the SORH prepares and submits a single grant application
to HRSA on behalf of all hospital applicants in the State. There
are approximately 1600 eligible hospitals nationwide and each usually
receives approximately $9,000.
SHIP Award (FY06): $1,094,861
Program Highlights:
- Hospitals receiving funding: 114
- Hospitals in consortiums, networks or systems: 0
- Hospitals using funds for QI and /or reduction of medical errors:
97
- Hospitals using grant funds for Health Information Technology:
16
Major Accomplishments:
Funded the largest number of SHIP eligible hospitals in the country.
Total HRSA Funding (FY06): $1,851,261
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