Hospitals & Health Systems

Rural Hospital Sustainability Resources

Mon, 20 Mar 2023 15:51:27 +0000

Rural Hospital Sustainability Resources

The State Office of Rural Health (SORH) manages several federal grants to support rural hospitals and other health care providers remain sustainable over time and make the transition to value-based reimbursement.

adm-kristen.cameron Mon, 03/20/2023 - 11:51

Health Care Quality Improvement Initiatives

Mon, 21 Nov 2016 15:08:43 +0000

Health Care Quality Improvement Initiatives

The Health Department's State Office of Rural Health and Primary Care manages several federal grants that focus on improving the quality of care that Vermonters receive in hospitals and health care settings. Programs have been developed to help facilities collect, aggregate, and report on health care data measures and design rapid-cycle improvement projects aimed at improving data that has been reported. Partners in these programs include rural hospitals, the Vermont Program for Quality in Health Care (VPQHC), and the New England Performance Improvement (NEPI) Initiative.

ADMIN_Karen.Taylor Mon, 11/21/2016 - 10:08

Rural Health Resources

Mon, 18 Jul 2016 14:52:09 +0000

Rural Health Resources

The health of Vermonters depends upon access to comprehensive health care services. The State Office of Rural Health and Primary Care works with and supports small rural hospitals, clinics and health care providers to improve access to primary care, dental and mental health care for all Vermonters – especially the uninsured, under-served and those living far from larger medical centers.

vdhadmin Mon, 07/18/2016 - 10:52

The State Office of Rural Health and Primary Care collaborates to:

Improve quality, performance and sustainability of rural and critical access hospitals.
Expand access to primary, dental and mental health services regardless of insurance coverage.
Support recruitment and retention of primary care, oral health and mental health workforce.
Support training for health care professionals, students and community health workers
Collect, analyze and report healthcare workforce data and calculate shortage designations.
Support outreach to farm owners and workers on how to access preventative care and best practices for agricultural health and safety.

We also connect local health care providers and decision-makers to state, regional and national resources, information and technical assistance.

Is my community "rural"?

Determine whether your specific location is considered "rural" based on various definitions of rural, including definitions that are used as eligibility criteria for federal programs. Am I Rural? Tool

Health Equity resources

Health equity exists when all people have a fair and just opportunity to be healthy. Health equity is one of the goals of our Strategic Plan and a cornerstone of our work. Health care providers, organizations and communities have important roles to play to ensure equitable and just health outcomes and access to care for all Vermonters. To learn more about health equity, visit healthvermont.gov/Health Equity page.

Patient Safety

Mon, 18 Jul 2016 14:52:09 +0000

Patient Safety

The goal of the Patient Safety Surveillance and Improvement System (PSSIS) is to improve patient safety during hospitalizations. The Vermont Department of Health is charged by statute to operate the PSSIS, and contracts with the Vermont Program for Quality in Health Care (VPQHC) to administer the current program.

Key Components of the Patient Safety Surveillance and Improvement System (PSSIS) are in two main categories; Internal Hospital Procedures and External Reporting.

Internal Hospital Procedures

Each Vermont hospital must:

Establish internal policies and procedures to identify, track and analyze all adverse events and near misses
Conduct appropriate causal analysis
Develop and implement corrective action plans

External Reporting

Each Vermont hospital must report to the Patient Safety Surveillance and Improvement System incidences of any of the National Quality Forum’s serious reportable events and for each event:

Conduct an appropriate causal analysis
Develop and implement a corrective action plan
File the causal analysis and corrective action plan with the Patient Safety Surveillance and Improvement System
Report any incidence of intentional unsafe acts

A yearly summary report of Vermont Hospital's Serious Reportable Events can be found in the annual Hospital Report Card

vdhadmin Mon, 07/18/2016 - 10:52

Promoting Interoperability Program

Mon, 18 Jul 2016 14:52:09 +0000

Promoting Interoperability Program

Electronic reporting allows Eligible Professionals and Eligible Hospitals with certified electronic medical records to meet the Promoting Interoperability Program measures related to Public Health.

vdhadmin Mon, 07/18/2016 - 10:52

Hospital Report Cards

Mon, 18 Jul 2016 14:49:34 +0000

Hospital Report Cards

Empowering Vermonters to Make Informed Health Care Decisions

Consumers can make informed decisions when choosing a Vermont hospital by using Hospital Report Cards.

Hospital Report Cards can be used to review and compare information about community and psychiatric hospitals in quality of care (outcomes, patient satisfaction and more), costs for common services, healthcare-associated infection ratios, nurse staffing levels, patient safety, and hospitals’ financial information.

Consumers can also find information on each hospital’s website to help them make decisions. The information includes discount and free care policies for financial assistance, community health needs assessment (CHNA) reports, CHNA implementation plans, annual progress reports of CHNA implementation plan, hospital governance description, and hospital complaint process.

* Data published 2020-2023 are not validated, may be incomplete, and/or unavailable due to the pandemic.

Community Hospital Comparisons

vdhadmin Mon, 07/18/2016 - 10:49