Rural Health Network Development Planning Grant Program - Applicant Organization Information: Hutchinson Regional Medical Center. County Government – Hospital. 1701 E 23rd Ave Hutchinson, KS 67502. https://www.hutchregional.com/ Designated Network Direct Dave Johnston, Chief, Reno County EMS, (620)-665-2121, johnstond@hutchregional.com Network Name: South-Central Kansas MIH Network. The project meets all three legislative aims #1: Achieve Efficiencies. Aim #2: Expand access to, coordinate and improve the quality of basic health care services and associated health outcomes. Aim #3: Strengthen the local rural health care system. The South-Central Kansas MIH Network will focus its efforts on resource management. The Network will leverage existing providers, facilities, and partnerships to maximize rural resources, with an emphasis on reaching the rural underserved population in the community. This focus encompasses each of the legislative aims to achieve efficiencies, expand access, and strengthen the system. The proposed service area will be Reno County, Kansas which is fully rural as defined by the HRSA Rural Health Grants Eligibility Analyzer. Funding Preference: Qualification 1: Health Professional Shortage Area & Qualification 2: Medically Underserved Community. The purpose of the project is to develop an integrated health care network in South-Central Kansas to achieve efficiencies; expand access to, coordinate, and improve the quality of basic health care services and associated health outcomes; and strengthen the rural health care system. The Network, led by a core set of principles and values, will collaborate with the community to improve upon equitable systems, workflows, and strategies to improve health outcomes. Funding from this planning grant will assist the collaborating entities by providing support to explore the best options for long-term sustainability for the community’s healthcare and of assuring the region has access to comprehensive health care services. The project will conduct an assessment and plan for the replication of the nationally recognized evidence-based MIH model. The model maximizes use of telehealth, leverages the community health worker and community paramedic workforce, provides training and technical assistance opportunities, and educates policy makers to increase reimbursement for healthcare services. By leveraging partnerships to replicate and implement the model, the Network will be able to increase healthcare for its residents in Reno County and then to be duplicated to the South-Central region.
