The federal government has announced two separate grant programs aimed at rural providers to improve quality or implement data systems.
Both grant programs were announced late last week, and applications for grants are due in March. The Health Resources and Services Administration estimates that more than 100 grants will be awarded.
The Small Rural Hospital Improvement Program is aimed at assisting rural hospitals with fewer than 50 beds to meet the cost of implementing data systems required to comply with Medicare's prospective payment system.
Hospitals may be eligible for grants from $8,000 to $1.2 million. The deadline for filing grants for the program, HRSA-08-062, is March 15. Providers should send grant requests to their state office for rural health; the state offices will then compile grant requests and submit them to HRSA. Grants are expected to be awarded by Sept. 1.
The second program, the Rural Quality Grant Program, is intended to improve patient care and chronic disease outcomes by assisting rural primary care providers with the implementation of quality improvement strategies, with the goal of improving health indicators and decreasing emergency department visits or admissions to hospitals. The program focuses on improvement in diabetes and cardiovascular disease care.
The program seeks to have providers implement and use an electronic patient registry system, track and report health indicators, implement additional quality improvement activities and participate in monthly conference calls with fellow grantees.
The program will provide funding for fiscal years 2008 and 2009, although funding is not guaranteed for the second year. Approximately $4.5 million is expected to be available to fund 60 grants.
Applications for the program, HRSA-08-058, are due March 20. Applications must be filed electronically through grants.gov, HRSA said.