CEO Update: Reflecting on the Year

I’m thinking of the happiest place on earth and if I could wave a magic wand, I’d be there everyday…. you know the places – Disney World and Harry Potter!  Earlier this month I was fortunate to spend time with my family visiting these places.  For me, visiting Disney World is an escape to a place where you can have fun, spend ample time with family, and make lasting memories.  These types of activities are meant to evoke a space to de-stress and not worry about the big and little things that consume our lives daily.  And, if I could wave a magic wand (I have three!), I would make sure CRHC’s vision of improving healthcare services available in rural communities to ensure that all rural Coloradans have access to comprehensive, affordable, and high-quality healthcare became a reality.  In fact, I really do wish that for our world.

A few standout accomplishments:

• Through the Rural Connectivity Program, critical access hospitals and certified RHCs received free access to a data vault (called the Community Analytics Platform) that is populated with claims data. Dashboards include outmigration, diabetes, cancer, cardiovascular, vaccination and more.  Additionally, thank you to OeHI and HCPF for securing ongoing funding for the program yearly at $100,000 per CAH and $20,000 per RHC.  At year end, 100 rural facilities are participating in this program.
• CRHC also produced a Mental Health Magazine with a focus on Youth Culture specifically around defining of the problem, substance use, suicide, hunting culture, unhoused youth, medication stigma, policy and resources.  This Magazine was distributed broadly to members and non-members including foundations and policy makers
• The Advancing Health Equity (AHE) Through Improving Clinic Data Initiative aims to support Primary Care Organizations to develop systems and expertise to improve their capacity to collect meaningful patient demographic data. Organizations were evaluated on seven domains including, but not limited to, Race, Ethnicity, Language (REaL), Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity/Expression (SOGIE) Data, Technology, Data Collection and Data Quality, and Centering Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI), among others. CRHC collaborated with JSI & the clinics to identify areas for improvement and build a workplan. This grant is funded thanks to The Colorado Health Foundation.
• Behavioral Health Integration – CRHC supported the integration of behavioral health services into the primary care settings through funding out of SB22-1302. The 1302 Behavioral Health Integration funds primary care clinics in helping them determine the best course of action for the practice and community to provide behavioral health services.

As we are busy celebrating with our families and hopefully enjoying a few moments of relaxation at the end of the year, I’d like to say THANK YOU to everyone for your support of the Colorado Rural Health Center. Our team at CRHC tirelessly dedicates their efforts to enhancing healthcare services in the state by providing information, education, linkages, tools, and energy toward addressing rural health issues and I know you all do the same in your communities.

With gratitude and thanks, I wish you the best for this holiday season!