Rural Health Clinics (RHCs)

DEVELOPING NEW RHCs

PHASE I:  NEED ASSESSMENT AND FEASIBILITY

• Identify potential locations
  • Under-served rural areas
  • Consider ability to expand or protect market share

• Project utilization
  • Office visits
  • Ancillary services on-site
  • Inpatient/outpatient admissions at host hospital

• Project Market Share
  • Consider ambulatory visit rates
  • Consider existing physician practices and use/migration patterns

• Identify strategic issues
  • Potential to expand market share/number of covered lives
  • Potential target for competitors - market protection
  • Ability to provide other services within/adjacent to RHC - mental health, rehabilitation, nursing facility residents, etc.
  • Impact on providers in area

• Operational issues
  • Availability of facility space
  • Availability of personnel
  • Coordination with host hospital

• Project financial impact
  1. Payer mix
     
  2. Volume - visits and ancillary services
  3. Staffing, supplies, utilities, and other operating cost
  4. Incremental revenue from inpatient and outpatient services
  5. Overhead allocation

• Identify facility space and initiate renovations

• Recruit staff

• Develop policies and procedures
  

• Notify State of intent to implement and obtain certification packet for RHC

• Implement operating systems

• Identify facility space and initiate renovations

• Implement operating systems
  • Billing
  • Accounts receivable/payable
  • Patient tracking/case management system
  • Train office staff
  • Orientate hospital staff
  • Develop marketing materials
  • Develop marketing plan
    • Senior centers
    • Nursing home staff training
    • Lectures
    • Networking with other community providers
    • Physician

  • Schedule certification visit for RHC

PHASE III:  MANAGEMENT

• Full management agreement - manage daily clinic operations

• Management assist agreement - periodic site visits and phone consultation