Document Type

Report

Publication Date

4-1-2006

Keywords

Critical Access Hospitals, Medicare Rural Hospital Flexibility Program, Rural Health Care Plans

Abstract

A logic modeling toolkit developed by the Flex Monitoring Team is available for use by state Medicare Rural Hospital Flexibility Programs (Flex Programs) in planning for and managing their Flex programs. The use of the Program Logic Model (PLM) Toolkit will provide states with a tool to assist in:

Planning, managing, reporting on, and assessing their Flex Program goals, activities, and accomplishments;

  • Developing buy-in among key Flex Program stakeholders;
  • Clarifying the underlying program assumptions;
  • Identifying and defining measurable outcomes;
  • Linking state-level Flex Program strategies and activities to specific and measurable outcomes; and
  • Reporting program results to both internal and external stakeholders.

The PLM Toolkit is organized according to the steps in the PLM development process and guides the user through each section. Included in the Toolkit is an overview of PLMs, their component parts, and the application of the PLM framework to the planning, implementation, and evaluation of the Flex Program. The bulk of the Toolkit provides a step-by-step approach to developing a Program Logic Model. The final section of the Toolkit lists resources for additional information on PLMs.

Comments

The Flex Monitoring Team is a consortium of the Rural Health Research Centers at the Universities of Minnesota, North Carolina, and Southern Maine. With funding from the federal Office of Rural Health Policy (PHS Grant No.U27RH01080), the Flex Monitoring Team is cooperatively conducting a performance monitoring project for the Medicare Rural Hospital Flexibility Program (Flex Program). The monitoring project is assessing the impact of the Flex Program on rural hospitals and communities and the role of states in achieving overall program objectives, including improving access to and the quality of health care services; improving the financial performance of Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs); and engaging rural communities in health care system development.

Funding Organization

Office of Rural Health Policy (PHS Grant No. U27RH01080)

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