Working with the New Hampshire’s Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs), the Rural Health Quality Improvement Network (R-QIN) engages in efforts to enhance access to care, financial viability, patient safety and continuous improvement in the quality of patient care services in the rural areas of the state to better meet the needs of our state’s most vulnerable patient populations.

The R-QIN works closely with New Hampshire’s Rural Health Coalition, which offers the chief executives of the state’s critical access hospitals a framework under which they can share best practices around healthcare delivery in rural areas, collaborate on patient safety and quality initiatives, and engage with State leaders and policy makers to ensure an understanding of rural health policy and the healthcare needs for our state’s most vulnerable patient populations.

Regulatory Readiness

Regulatory Readiness resources are a part of the Rural Health Quality Improvement Network (R-QIN) that was created in order to serve as a subject matter expert on regulatory needs at both the Federal and State level. The R- QIN supports hospital compliance with the CMS Conditions of Participation through mock surveys on-demand, optional orientations for new leaders at organizations, on-site survey coordination as well as comprehensive review post-survey and follow-up plan of correction resources. In addition, the resource is available for individual consultations and regularly releases publications with interpretations of new regulations for both State and Federal compliance questions.

SHIP / FLEX

Since 2012, the Rural Health Quality Improvement Network has partnered with the New Hampshire Office of Rural Health and Primary Care by exercising stewardship over federal funds allocated to New Hampshire’s CAHs by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). With this funding, R-QIN has conducted a variety of initiatives including transition from ICD-9 to the ICD-10 classification system, revenue cycle enhancement, Medicare reimbursement optimization, staff development opportunities in lean management skill sets and professional certifications, patient access and registration training and a billing and coding audits to increase financial reimbursement.