Rural Health Network Development Planning Grant Program - Applicant Organization Information: Fisher-Titus Medical Center 272 Benedict Avenue Norwalk, OH 44857-2374 Facility Type: Hospital Website: www.fishertitus.org Designated Project Director: Kim Schreiner, Chief Nursing Officer, 419-732-4024, kschreiner@magruderhospital.com Network Planning Project: Network Name: North Central Healthcare Access Network Legislative Aims: Aim #1, #2, and #3 Focus Area: Fisher-Titus Medical Center’s focus area is the expansion of primary care, dental care, behavioral health, and maternity care for low-income population in rural Ottawa and Huron County. Proposed Service Region: Fully rural Huron County, Ohio, and the rural Ottawa County, Ohio census tracts: 501, 502.01, 502,02, 503.01, 503.02, 505, 506, 507, 508, and 512. Population to be Served: The population to be served through this application is rural Huron and Ottawa County residents that experience health disparities and have limited access to primary care, behavioral health, maternal health, and dental services. Rural Americans are at a higher risk of death from heart disease, cancer, unintentional injury, chronic lower respiratory disease, and stroke than their urban counterparts. Rural populations are smaller and more dispersed, making it challenging to deliver coordinated, timely, and effective care. Network Members: This funding application outlines a collaborative healthcare network involving two independent rural hospitals, Fisher-Titus and Magruder, along with Family Health Services (FHS), a Federally Qualified Health Center. FHS, designated as a Patient Centered Medical Home (PCMH) by HRSA, operates in Erie County, offering affordable healthcare, including primary care, behavioral health, and dental services. FHS also has a satellite office in Norwalk, Huron County. The proposed network aims to leverage the strengths of FHS, Magruder, and Fisher-Titus to enhance healthcare services in their respective communities. Although the network is not officially established, prior collaboration from all three entities has led them to explore ways to improve services through this planning process. The proposed service areas of the hospitals are officially designated as rural by HRSA, as illustrated in Attachment 2. For additional details, refer to Attachment 6 for the network's organizational chart and Attachment 7 for letters of commitment. Experience in Serving Rural Underserved Populations: Both Fisher-Titus and Magruder Hospital have extensive experience in serving their communities, both of which are rural and historically underserved. Family Health Services (FHS) currently offers primary care, dental, behavioral health, and well women services at its main facility in Sandusky, Ohio, Erie County. With a satellite office in Huron County, near Fisher-Titus's main campus, FHS provides limited primary care, dental, and behavioral health services. This planning opportunity aims to establish a new FHS location in Ottawa County, expanding services to include primary care, dental care, behavioral health, and maternity care. The network will also work on enhancing the Norwalk satellite office to offer maternity care, including well-woman and prenatal/postnatal care. Notably, FHS obstetric providers would deliver services at FTMC. While focusing on two distinct communities, the collaborative network anticipates potential benefits such as shared providers, increased community support, and formalized relationships, strengthening the groundwork for additional funding opportunities. Funding Opportunity Notification: FTMC was made aware of the Rural Health Network Development Planning Program funding opportunity through the HRSA website. Funding Preference: This application is requesting a funding preference based on qualification 1: Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSA). See Attachment 8 (Proof of Funding Preference Designation) for addresses and screenshots from the Rural Health Grants Eligibility Analyzer.
