U.S. Department of Health and Human Services: Rural Health Network Development Planning Program

The Rural Health Network Development Planning Program will promote the planning and development of health care networks to: (i) achieve efficiencies; (ii) expand access to, coordinate, and improve the quality of essential health care services; and (iii) strengthen the rural health care system as a whole.

A rural health network (consortium) is defined as an organizational arrangement among at least three separately owned regional or local health care providers that come together to develop strategies for improving health services delivery systems in a community. Health care networks can be an effective strategy to help smaller rural health care providers and health care service organizations align resources, achieve economies of scale and efficiencies, collaboratively address challenges, and create impactful, innovative solutions as a group than as single providers.

The Network Planning Program offers rural health care providers the opportunity to better address community needs and respond to challenges such as supporting providers in the transition from volume-based to value-based care. The intent is for rural health networks to expand access to care, increase the use of health information technology, explore alternative health care delivery models, and continue to achieve quality health care across the continuum of care.

Applicants must describe planning activities that support at least one of the legislative aims described below:

• Aim #1: Achieve efficiencies
• Aim #2: Expand access to, coordinate, and improve the quality of essential health care services
• Aim #3: Strengthen the rural health care system as a whole

Amount: Approximately $2,000,000 is available to make up to 20 awards ranging up to $100,000 each.

Eligibility: Applicants must:

• Be a rural public or rural nonprofit private entity
• Represent a network composed of participants (i) that include three or more health care providers and (ii) that may be nonprofit or for-profit entities
• Not previously have received a grant under this subsection (other than a grant for planning activities) for the same or a similar project

Link: https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=315914

This post was filed under: