AHCPR-funded rural managed care centers: report from the field

Area of Science:

• Health Services Research
• Rural Health Policy
• Managed Care Systems

Background:

• Cooperative agreements were awarded in 1994 by the Agency for Health Care Policy and Research to five university groups.
• The initiative aimed to establish managed care organizations and develop rural health networks.
• This paper focuses on the initial three years of the initiative.

Purpose of the Study:

• To summarize the experiences of rural managed care centers funded by the Agency for Health Care Policy and Research.
• To identify key ingredients for achieving project goals in rural managed care.
• To assess the effectiveness of grant funding in supporting rural health initiatives.

Main Methods:

• The study summarizes qualitative data from project directors of five university-based rural managed care centers.
• Experiences were documented over the first three years of the initiative.
• Key success factors were identified as "foundations" and "building blocks".

Main Results:

• Project directors identified essential "foundations" and "building blocks" for successful rural managed care.
• Development of robust information systems was crucial.
• Fostering leadership within the medical community was identified as a key factor.
• Grant funding proved effective in supporting information systems and leadership development.

Conclusions:

• Successful establishment of rural managed care institutions and networks relies on specific foundational and developmental elements.
• Information systems and medical community leadership are critical areas for investment.
• Targeted grant funding can significantly enhance the development of rural health networks and managed care.