Iowa Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Public Health, Rural and Community Health Bureau

Iowa State Flex Program

What is one Core Competency your state Flex Program is working on developing through Flex activities?

Selected Core Competency: Developing Leadership and Workforce

One of the main industry needs in hospitals is workforce recruiting and retention. The Iowa State Flex program has an ongoing focus on supporting and helping hospital leaders to aim for the long-term goal of a strong, competent team who is focused and engaged in meeting the hospital’s operational improvement goals. This year, the Flex Operational program provided webinars, a competency development toolkit, professional development tools, and Operational & Leadership Workgroup sessions for Iowa’s Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) to improve recruitment strategies, retention strategies, effective training, education to address standards for compliance, practices with integrity, future forecasting for staff needs, and individual hospital assistance. Specifically, an Engagement and Resiliency for Mid-Level Manager Series of trainings addressed leadership communication with staff that built trust, relationship building that improved leadership skills, conflict management support, and work leadership changes that produced champions of change. During an in-person Fall Education & Training Operational Workgroup, hospital participants were led through best practices during presentations on the following: (1) Advancing a Sustainable Workforce; (2) Communication for Connection; (3) Grit:  The Power of Passion and Perseverance; and (4) Introduction to Strength-Based Development. Finally, through the Leadership Development Program, three (3) hospital staff applicants worked with mentors who provided peer leadership to discuss the benefits of receiving professional development guidance, career path guidance, growing a mentee’s professional network and individual career planning. 

What is one activity your state is funding through SHIP?

As part of Iowa SHIP, hospitals are offered two options for program format—consortium and direct award. With direct award, hospitals are responsible for the development and implementation of approved workplans and budgets in alignment with the SHIP Category Allowable Investments guidance. Hospitals confirm their adherence to the workplan through quarterly and year-end reporting.  A few examples of current direct award projects include the purchase of VBP software and support for voice recognition dictation system to assist with accurate capture of coding, ICD-10/11 software, HCAHPS vendor fees, telehealth contract monthly service fee (platform fee) for mental health services in the emergency room, and ACO health information technology training for expenses related to a new encoder.  

With the consortium, funds for each participating hospital are pooled and allocated for projects and training are developed across the SHIP Category Allowable Investment Guidance Program areas, and the projects are aligned to promote implementation of best practices. Iowa SHIP provides active outreach to all SHIP consortium hospitals via newsletter and webinars/activities reminders.