Small Health Care Provider Quality Improvement Program

This notice announces the opportunity to apply for funding under the Small Health Care Provider Quality Improvement Program. The purpose of this program is to support the planning and implementation of quality improvement activities for rural primary care providers or providers of health care services, such as critical access hospitals (CAH), rural health clinics (RHC), or a network of rural health providers, serving rural residents. The goal of the Small Health Care Provider Quality Improvement Program is to promote the development of a quality improvement culture and the delivery of cost-effective, coordinated, culturally appropriate, and equitable health care services in rural primary care settings. Specifically, program objectives include increased care coordination, enhanced chronic disease management, and improved health outcomes for patients. An additional program goal is to prepare rural health care providers for quality reporting and pay-for-performance programs. In order to achieve these goals and objectives, applicants are required to use an evidence-based model or promising practice to demonstrate the following impact areas, by the end of the four-year period of performance: 1) Improved health outcomes, 2) Expanded capacity for essential health care services, and 3) Increased financial sustainability. Program activities include, but are not limited to, providing clinical health services for rural residents and conducting community health and prevention efforts for rural communities. Applicants are highly encouraged to address the underlying factors that are driving growing rural health disparities related to the five leading causes of avoidable death1, which are heart disease, cancer, unintentional injury/substance use, chronic lower respiratory disease, and stroke. Previous award recipients implemented a range of activities, such as coordinating care among network members, leveraging use of new Centers of Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) billing codes under standard fee-for-service Medicare supporting chronic care management, and integrating mental/behavioral health services into the rural primary care setting. Refer to the program’s Sourcebook and Grantee Directory for a summary of previously funded programs. Although it is not a requirement, HRSA strongly encourages applicants to form a network and to consider including a RHC as a member in their proposal. Meeting the needs of rural communities relies on expanding our partnerships, expanding the reach of our impact on rural communities. For more details, see Program Requirements and Expectations.