Dear Colleague:

It has been an exciting time for the Northeast Missouri Rural Health Network (NMRHN) as we conclude our first year of operation. Since January of this year, our four charter members have been working diligently to develop a Board of Directors; Management and Steering Committee; and vision, mission, and operating principles. In addition, other Network activities have included the placement of medical students in rural training sites, the distribution of training funds to each of the ambulance districts in the Network project area, and the development of a web site on the Internet.

As NMRHN project director, I am hopeful this newsletter will serve as one means to communicate the activities of the Network. Published quarterly, the Network News will update you about the progress of the Network's development in the region; the status of Network projects and membership; and future plans for NMRHN. You may also view this newsletter by visiting our web site. Any comments or suggestions about NMRHN or Network News are always welcome.

On behalf of our Board of Directors, we wish to thank you for your support of NMRHN this past year and to let you know that we look forward to networking with you to improve health care in northeastern Missouri. We at the Network wish you, your family, and your colleagues a warm and wonderful holiday season!

Robert Jackson, D.O.
NMRHN Project Director

NMRHN was founded by four health care organizations seeking to improve health services in rural northeast Missouri. The Network is the recipient of a Rural Network Development Grant administered by the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy. Operational since January 1998, the NMRHN charter members are the Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine, Northeast Regional Health System, Northeast Missouri Health Council, and Hospice 2000. Together, these four organizations are working to establish a provider network serving 11 counties of northeastern Missouri, including the counties of Adair, Clark, Knox, Lewis, Linn, Macon, Putnam, Schuyler, Scotland, Shelby, and Sullivan.

According to Jim LeBaron, NMRHN network coordinator, "The development of rural health networks has become one of the predominant strategies being pursued by rural communities and providers across the United States. It is a strategy that seeks to keep health care delivery systems locally controlled and governed, increase the sharing of limited resources and expertise among communities and providers, and improve public access and the quality of rural health care. It is our intention to network with area health care providers and their communities to facilitate the implementation of these strategies in northeastern Missouri."

Over the past year, NMRHN has spent considerable effort developing a business plan that has included the forming of a Board of Directors and Management and Steering Committee, and development of a vision statement, mission, goals, and operating principles. According to Paul FitzPatrick, a leading national consultant on network development, "The purpose of the business plan is to provide the NMRHN with parameters from which it can continue to organize and develop into a fully operational rural health network. The overriding premise of the business plan is that rural health network development requires a priority focus on process. Subsequently, the key to building a successful network is charting out a realistic course through a collaborative process among interested health providers. The progress made during the first year of operations is encouraging and should well position the NMRHN for further development during its second year of operation."

Northeast Regional Health System
Charles M. Boughton
Ranee Brayton
Richard Valuck, D.O.

Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine
Robert Jackson, D.O.
Richard Mercer, D.O.
Frank Colton, Ed.D.

Northeast Missouri Health Council
Brooks Miller
Margaret Wilson, D.O.
David Rector

Hospice 2000
Ron McCullough
Gaylah Sublette
Lorna Hochwender

On September 21, the NMRHN Board of Directors passed a resolution to provide funding in the amount of $4,000 to each of the 11 county ambulance districts in our service area. This money will be used for the purpose of providing emergency training and/or the purchase of emergency training equipment. The counties of Adair, Clark, Knox, Lewis, Linn, Macon, Putnam, Schuyler, Scotland, Shelby, and Sullivan are included in the program.

These funds are being distributed in an effort to improve the technical capabilities of the 11 ambulance districts and their staff, as well as to assist in their compliance with recently revised Chapter 190 of the Missouri statutes (Senate Bill 743). According to Robert Jackson, D.O., "We believe that it is the mission of the NMRHN to collaborate with local front-line health providers in our 11 county project area in an effort to improve the quality and access of health care services. Our distribution of $44,000 for our local ambulance districts is a wise investment toward this mission, and, more importantly, for the citizens of northeastern Missouri who will directly benefit from better-trained emergency personnel."

The ambulance districts participating in the program will be required to expend the training funds by July 31, 1999. In addition, each will report to NMRHN how the funds benefited the citizens of their county.

The NMRHN Management and Steering Committee continues to plan for the Network's fiscal year 1998-1999. Among the top priorities is network membership development and the publishing of a regional health directory.

According to Jim LeBaron, network coordinator, "Membership expansion strategies are an important element of network formation and development. Purposely developed strategies for membership expansion can ensure a higher likelihood that NMRHN's mission, goals, and projects will be achieved. The task before us is to link primary, acute care, and long-term care delivery systems in northeastern Missouri to fully develop a vertically integrated network. Therefore, much of our time and efforts will be focused on dialoging with area health care providers to discuss the benefits of collaboration and determining their level of interest to join the Network." In September 1998, NMRHN charged the Management and Steering Committee with developing membership categories and fees. This task will be concluded this fall.

The process to publish a regional health directory will also begin this fall. With a focus on primary care, the directory should be useful to referral sources seeking services for patients and the general public. The directory will organize services and resources by county and include referral information about physicians, hospitals, and other area health care providers. Area providers who have ideas regarding this project or wish to assist with its publication should contact Jim LeBaron at (660) 626-2500 or 1-800-626-5266, x2500 or by e-mail at jlebaron@fileserver2.kcom.edu.