Health clinics are often associated with a hospital or a medical school devoted to the diagnosis and care of outpatients. In rural America, they may be stand-alone entities miles from the closest hospital or hundreds of miles from a medical school. This guide provides general information and resources about rural clinics.
Related Guides
Tools
2-1-1 Information & Referral Service
Web site
2-1-1 provides free and confidential information and referral for help with employment, food, housing, health care, and counseling.
CMS Recovery Audit Contractor (RAC)
Web site
Provides information on the Recovery Audit Contractor (RAC) project, implementation strategies, who the RACs are, RAC jurisdictions, RAC expansion and provider outreach schedules, and FAQs.
Directory of State and Regional Primary Care Associations
Web site
Lists address, phone, email and web addresses for state and regional Primary Care Associations (PCAs). PCAs work to promote, expand, and optimize access to primary care.
Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHC) Center
Web site
Provides links to manuals, billing codes, enrollment and certification information, legislation, regulations, and contacts related to Medicare and Medicaid services in Federally Qualified Health Centers.
Healthcare Facility Design
Web site
Intended for community health centers and other safety net clinics that are planning upgrades to their facilities and was developed by The Center for Health Design (CHD). Offers literature reviews, best practice clinic design examples, recommended design and operational strategies, and tips from the field.
HealthCare.gov Implementation Center
Web site
Materials related to the implementation of the Affordable Care Act, including regulations, authorities and requests for comment.
HHS.gov/Recovery
Web site
Provides information and resources on the programs invested in improving health and human services supported by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996) - General Information
Web site
Links to information on HIPAA health insurance reform and Administrative Simplification provisions.
Medicare Contracting Reform
Web site
Provides information and resources concerning the Part A/Part B Medicare Administrative Contractors (MACs).
Office for Civil Rights: Health Information Privacy
Web site
Provides fact sheets, links, educational materials, and background information on HIPAA.
Poison Prevention Week Planner
Web site
Features useful information on how communities can work with local poison centers to implement prevention activities. The planner also gives tips for promoting events with media and through community outreach.
Preparedness Resources for Healthcare Facilities
Web site
Helps hospitals and health care facilities improve preparedness for disasters and large-scale emergencies. Includes resources for long-term acute and chronic care.
Quality Improvement & Risk Management Training
Tutorial
Five training modules on integrating quality and risk management led by George Rust, MD, MPH, deputy director of the National Center for Primary Care at Morehouse School of Medicine.
Rural Health Research: Hospitals and clinics
Web site
Provides summaries of current and completed rural health research projects and related publications addressing the topic of hospitals and clinics, produced by the Office of Rural Health Policy's funded rural health research centers.
UDS Mapper
Web site
Developed to help inform users about the current geographic extent of Section 330 U.S. federally funded health centers (FQHCs). Designed upon algorithms and reporting methods for the Bureau of Primary Health Care (BPHC)-requested service area analyses. Requires a brief log-in registration.
UND Center for Rural Health Communication Toolkit
Web site
Provides resources and guidance to help rural health care facilities and organizations promote their services and organizations through the media.
Regulations, Forms & Other Useful Documents
Fact Sheet: Federally Qualified Health Center
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
Provides a general summary about FQHCs that includes a list of helpful rural health websites.
Date: 11 / 2011
Innovators' Guide to Navigating CMS
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
Assists stakeholders in understanding the processes used to determine coverage, coding, and payment for new technologies under the Medicare fee-for-service program. Guide is intended as a general summary.
Date: 2010
Munson Medical Center: Constant Focus on Patient Satisfaction
Author(s): Sharon Silow-Carroll
Sponsoring organization: Commonwealth Fund
Munson Medical Center, a large non-profit hospital serving patients in 24 primarily rural counties, was identified as providing higher patient satisfaction, as measured by the Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) survey. This case study describes the strategies and factors that contributed to their success.
Date: 12 / 2008
Providing Underserved Patients with Medical Homes: Assessing the Readiness of Safety-Net Health Centers
Author(s): Katie Coleman, Kathryn Phillips
Sponsoring organization: Commonwealth Fund
Surveys safety-net health centers (public hospitals and clinics, federally qualified health centers, rural health centers, and free clinics for the medically underserved) to determine their potential to become patient-centered medical homes (PCMHs).
Date: 05 / 2010
Rural Community Health Centers: Building Creative Partnerships to Meet the Workforce Challenge
Sponsoring organization: National Rural Health Association
Reports on the second meeting of the National Rural Task Force making recommendations to the NRHA the special needs of rural providers and to promote the long term growth and substance or rural health centers.
Date: 07 / 2008
Rural Health Clinic: Rural Health Fact Sheet Series
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
Presents facts about the Rural Health Clinics program that includes the requirements for a facility to become an RHC, Medicare payments for RHC services, and a list of rural health websites.
Date: 10 / 2011
Starting a Rural Health Clinic: A How-To Manual
Sponsoring organization: Office of Rural Health Policy
Detailed guide describing the Rural Health Clinic (RHC) program. Includes instructions on how to determine eligibility and financial feasibility of RHC status and how to apply to become an RHC. Includes a sample RHC policies and procedures manual.
Date: 04 / 2004
Organizations
American College of Small or Rural Healthcare (ACSRH)
National organization
Part of the American Academy of Medical Administrators (AAMA). A shared interest group that focuses on the special needs and interests of small or rural healthcare organizations.
Association of Clinicians for the Underserved (ACU)
National organization
A nonprofit, transdisciplinary organization of clinicians, advocates, and health care organizations working to improve the health of America's underserved populations and to enhance the development and support of the medical and dental clinicians serving these populations.
Bureau of Primary Health Care (BPHC)
Federal government
Supports access to primary care services. Part of the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), U.S. Department of Health & Human Services.
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS)
Federal government
Operates the Medicare and Medicaid programs - two national health care programs that benefit millions of Americans. Part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Website includes access to research, statistics and data related to their programs.
Clinical Directors Network (CDN)
National organization
Network of primary care clinicians in Community/Migrant Health Centers. Works to provide and improve comprehensive and accessible community-oriented primary and preventive health care services for poor, minority, and underserved populations.
Mobile Health Clinics Network (MHCN)
National organization
Dedicated to providing community outreach via the use of mobile medical and dental clinics. Includes news briefs, publications, and funding opportunities.
National Health Service Corps (NHSC)
Federal government
Works to improve the health of the underserved by recruiting and retaining the health professionals to deliver health care in underserved communities. Provides technical assistance to federally designated Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs) on projects that enhance the NHSC's site development mission. Part of the Bureau of Health Professionals, Health Resources and Services Administration.
Terms & Acronyms
CMS (Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services) Federal agency responsible for the Medicare and Medicaid programs. Part of the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services.
Co-location Different health units, such as a CAH and a FQHC, situated on the same site sharing resources and facilities.
Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) FQHCs include all organizations receiving grants under section 330 of the Public Health Service Act, certain tribal organizations, and FQHC Look-Alikes. FQHCs benefit from enhanced reimbursement from Medicare and Medicaid under the prospective payment system.
Medicaid Federal assistance program that helps pay for medically necessary services for needy and low income individuals. The program uses state and federal funds to compensate medical providers serving these populations.
Medicare Federal health care insurance program for most adults age 65 and older and certain disabled individuals. It pays for long term care under limited circumstances and for limited periods of time.
Rural Health Clinic (RHC) Clinic certified to receive special Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement. RHCs must be located in underserved rural areas and provide primary care services. RHCs use a team approach of physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, and certified nurse midwives to provide services. Payment is based on a cost-related basis for outpatient physician and certain nonphysician services.
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