Building Healthy Communities

In 2002, the Coalition recognized that other needs of small rural hospitals were going unmet and given the inherent risk associated with dependence on special funding status with the legislature, new strategies would be required to ensure small rural hospital viability. In response, the Coalition Board elected to form a 501(c)(3) organization, Building Healthy Communities, Inc. (BHC), to identify and prioritize these unmet needs and to further develop strategies that will strengthen the viability of rural healthcare providers.

The sole member of BHC is the Coalition. BHC was formed by the Coalition to serve as its vehicle to facilitate the evolution of the existing network of small rural hospitals. BHC is committed to making member hospitals and their physicians the medical home for area patients, and the development and implementation of strategies to do so. BHC has established organizational goals that are strategically designed to improve daily operations, address the unique needs of critical access hospitals, develop programs to ensure accessibility to high-quality services, identify service areas that could benefit from technological enhancements, and design physician and allied health professional recruitment and retention strategies. Through collaboration and development, BHC will maintain, enhance and expand access to high-quality care services by building an infrastructure that supports the dissemination and sharing of information across a statewide consortium of healthcare providers.

Two overall strategies are being developed. The first strategy, in recognition that the survival of Louisiana’s small rural hospitals is an essential key element in improving access and health outcomes in rural Louisiana, focuses in the internal aspect of rural hospital operations. The second strategy of BHC has to do with working with local providers and stakeholders on programs that are external to the hospital operation but are highly important to the hospital and to the communities being served.

Current Network Programs and Initiatives Include:

Building Healthy Communities:

was included in the April 17 publication of Modern Health Care Magazine. The article, “Acting Neighborly”, highlights the challenges faced by rural hospitals in implementing electronic medical records and can be found at http://www.modernhealthcare.com/article.cms?articleId=39485.
was one of 12 organizations selected nationally to participate in a Health Information Technology Advisory Network designed to inform federal policy, provide feedback to funders and share resources across states. The federal Office of Rural Health Policy paid for staff travel to the kick-off meeting held in Minnesota May 4 and 5. Those attending included, but were not limited to representatives from the National Rural Assistance Center, the Health Resources and Services Administration and the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. If you are interested in participating in pre-meeting discussions and planning or would like to sign up for the RHC/BHC IT Connection e-Letter please send an email to bethrhc@aol.com.
has completed a vendor comparison chart to support identification and selection of electronic medical record vendors by member hospitals. The chart compares systems such as Dairyland, CPSI and various VistA vendors based on system functionality, vendor experience and cost.
was successfully awarded $10,000 from the Foundation of the Mid South to support the research and comparison of various EMR software products that would best benefit the small rural hospitals and host a two day EMR Forum where several EMR software vendors would present their products to hospital staff and provide an opportunity to ask questions while other vendors are present.
was successfully awarded $399,510.21 from Direct Relief -- 1) $150,000 was awarded to support PACS implementation at three member sites. Hospitals were selected by the grantor based on community need statistics and population shift data following Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Hospitals include Richland Hospital in Delhi, Franklin Medical in Winnsboro and West Carroll in Oak Grove. On May 18, presentations were made at the Capitol to the hospitals by their legislators. Pictured below are Harold Naff, Franklin Medical Center Interim Administrator, Michael Carroll, Richland Parish Hospital Administrator, Representative Francis Thompson, Randy Morris, West Carroll Parish Hospital Administrator, Representative Charles McDonald and Senator Noble Ellington. 2) $101,428 was awarded to Abbeville General Hospital to reimburse the hospital for external assistance provided to Hurricanes Katrina and Rita victims so such victims would not be burdened by receiving bills for medical services. 3) $148,082.21 was awarded to St. Charles Parish Hospital to assist the hospital with a) an upcoming New Patient Care Building, b) the cost of equipment and supplies needed for an expanded ER due to a drastic increase in care to date, and c) the cost of a 12-passenger handicap accessible vehicle to relieve the burden of the hospital's existing ambulances used to transport evacuees.

submitted Universal Service Administration Company/Universal Service Fund (USAC/USF) applications and support documentation for the following hospitals to receive discounted rates on telecommunication and internet services:

For 2005/06

Abbeville General Hospital - $6,320.98
Acadia-St. Landry Hospital - $2,263.50
Caldwell Memorial Hospital* - $938.49 (ER only)
Riverside Medical Hospital - $4,923.75
St. Helena Parish Hospital - $9,959.71

Total: $24,406.43

For 2006/07

Abbeville General Hospital
Abrom Kaplan Memorial Hospital
Acadia-St. Landry Hospital
Caldwell Memorial Hospital* (ER only)
CHRISTUS Coushatta Health Care Center and its 3 rural health clinics
DeSoto Regional Health Systems
Franklin Foundation Hospital
Hardtner Medical Hospital
Homer Memorial Hospital
Morehouse General Hospital
Riverside Medical Hospital
St. Helena Parish Hospital
Tri-Ward General Hospital
West Carroll Memorial Hospital

*for-profit hospital

BHC Board Members

Chairman: L.J. Pecot, Jackson Parish Hospital

Secretary-Treasurer: Chad Olinde, Pointe Coupee General Hospital

Burton Dupuis, St. Martin Hospital

Doug Efferson, Homer Memorial Hospital

Peter Savoy, Acadia-St. Landry Hospital