NRHP works with the Nevada State Legislature to help ensure a supportive operating environment for small and rural hospitals in our state. Each legislative session involves a wide range of issues. Examples include Medicaid eligibility and reimbursement, quality of care, and patient safety, billing practices, transparency of pricing and quality information, tort reform, employment practices, issues affecting public entities, insurance, and many more.
REGULATORY
In addition to legislative advocacy, NRHP helps ensure a supportive operating environment for members by working with a variety of state agencies and boards, such as the Nevada Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), the Nevada Health Division, and multiple professional licensing boards. Examples of issues at this level include compliance with the State's quality of care reporting requirements, physician licensure processes, facility licensure issues, and mental health service delivery in rural areas. NRHP also monitors change at the federal level, provides input on behalf of the members, and supports members' adjustment to changes in federal law and regulation.
GRANT WRITING AND RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT
NRHP writes and manages grants that support various goals involving shared services. Since 2000, NRHP has brought approximately 6.8 million dollars in resources to the membership. Funding has supported (among other things) information technology programs, coordination and support for Nevada's Critical Access Hospitals, and the development of a system for capturing quality and patient safety information into an aggregated data base intended to drive quality improvement. NRHP works with the Nevada Office of Rural Health to coordinate and manage the pooling of the federal Small Hospital Improvement Pogram (SHIP) funds to improve billing practices, revenue cycle, and quality. Funds were provided by the State to establish a revolving loan pool for rural providers as a tool to improve recruitment and retention of professionals and provision of services in Nevada's rural communities.
PEER GROUP SUPPORT
NRHP coordinates and supports peer groups that have common interests. The groups are intended to facilitate commnication, sharing of expertise, and the development of solutions to issues affecting multiple members. Current active peer groups include: CEOs; Medical Staff Coordinators and Credentialing Staff; Purchasing Managers for member hospitals as a whole and subgroups for their pharmacy, laboratory and dietary departments; Financial Management Staff; Information Technology Managers; and Quality Assurance/Risk Managers.
