Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services

Montana State Flex Program

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

Core Competency: Planning Strategically 

The Montana Medicare Rural Hospital Flexibility Program (MT Flex) is committed to enhancing the sustainability and vitality of Montana’s rural and frontier Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs). The structure of MT Flex is the Department of Public Health & Human Services as the awardee and the primary contractor and subrecipient is the Montana Health Research & Education Foundation (MHREF), part of the Montana Hospital Association. The structure of MT Flex will develop strategic planning to define the mission, vision, and values. The core competency identified will align with improving financials, quality of care, and health outcomes of communities in Montana. For example, Montana rural EMS agencies will collaborate with life-saving training on time sensitive illness and injury assessment and treatment, and training on accurate data collection and how to use data to create quality improvement programs. In addition, MT Flex will work to identify/provide focused improvement projects to CAHs facing financial challenges and at medium high to high risk of distress and provide orientation and education to new Quality Improvement Coordinators (QIC). Through effective data collection, comprehensive evaluation frameworks, and stakeholder engagement, MT Flex is committed to planning strategically by ensuring program activities align with the evolving needs of Montana's CAHs, ultimately enhancing healthcare delivery and outcomes across the state.

What is one activity your state is funding through SHIP?

The Montana Small Rural Hospital Improvement Grant Programs (SHIP) is facilitated through the Montana Office of Rural Health (MORH) at Montana State University. The SHIP program works closely with the Montana Health Research & Education Foundation to ensure coordination with the Flex program.  Montana’s small rural and frontier Critical Access Hospitals (CAH) have consistently utilized SHIP funding to support projects within the three SHIP required focus areas. A significant portion of funding has been dedicated to the value-based purchasing category including the areas of quality reporting, MBQIP data collection process/related training and efficiency or QI training.  Montana’s rural and frontier hospitals often work with a small Montana-based company to conduct HCAHPS surveying. There is a distinct price advantage in using a local company as well as a recognition of the rural and frontier nature of our small Critical Access Hospitals. The ACO category is also chosen frequently with expenditures primarily in population health training, telehealth or mobile health and efficiency/QI training or projects. Looking toward the future, MORH will host a webinar series (in FY24) dedicated to preparing for ICD-11 coding. In addition, there may be opportunities to collaborate on PPS/PB projects as we work closely with the Flex program. There are 44 participating facilities, although there are more that would qualify to participate if desired.