Delta Health Systems Implementation Program - Tippah County Hospital is a critical access hospital located in Tippah County in northeast Mississippi, home to 21,815 residents. This rural hospital provides emergency, laboratory, radiology, inpatient care, swing-bed, outpatient surgery, cardiopulmonary rehab, intensive outpatient psychiatric care, and physical, occupational, and speech therapy services. TCH also operates a long-term care facility, rural health clinic and primary care clinic on the campus. Specialty services include cardiology, general surgery, addiction medicine, and podiatry through the specialty clinic and psychiatry and pain management through telehealth. Tippah County is rural with the largest city and county seat housing just over 5000 residents. The nearest hospitals are 30 minutes away by car. The population is almost 80% white, non-Hispanic and reflect the low educational attainment and high poverty status of rural communities. Sixteen percent of the working age population remains uninsured. Residents are primarily employed in manufacturing and education. The populace is aging with the fastest growing segment over age 65. Tippah countians have increased rates of obesity, smoking, and physical inactivity which all contribute to high rates of heart disease, diabetes, and stroke. Culturally diets are high in fats and carbohydrates with lower income residents having little selection of affordable healthy foods. Food insecurity contributes to the prevalence of these diseases as 19% of residents do not have a reliable food source. This project proposes to improve operational efficiency, create financial stability, and improve clinical quality while creating sustainable revenue streams. Project goals include implementing sustainable systems to improve efficiency and charge capture in point-of-care laboratory testing and medication dispensing. Additionally, TCH will enhance patient education in chronic disease management utilizing an in-house RN diabetes educator to enable patients to self-manage major health contributors to cardiovascular disease and poor outcomes. TCH will also employ a Medical Billing Specialist who will educate staff on best practices and monitor the status of claims to ensure timely reimbursement. These project activities will benefit the community by improving preventive care and care coordination for patients while strengthening the hospital system with new and sustainable revenue streams.
