The Wisconsin Office of Rural Health is seeking proposals for their “Rural Emergency Health Care Services Frequent User Project.” The Office will award one planning grant for up to $5,000 to a rural Critical Access Hospital (CAH).The planning grant will enable a coalition of rural hospitals, emergency medical services, public health departments and other stakeholders to develop a program to address the problem of frequent users of emergency medical services. Frequent users are defined as individuals who use EMS and emergency department services frequently out of proportion to others in the community or for inappropriate purposes.
The problem of frequent users is very serious as they often have chronic health problems that would be treated better outside of an emergency setting, ambulances, and emergency rooms. Staff time could be put to better use plus frequent users cause EMS and hospitals to incur significant costs.
The proposal will need to identify the scope and financial impact of frequent users, describe the roles of current coalition members, and describe the steps needed to develop appropriate actions to address the frequent user problem.
At the end of the planning process, the coalition will have the necessary information, experience, and commitment to prepare a sell-developed implementation program proposal. At this point, the Office will award the coalition up to $20,000 in 2014-2015 to implement a program to address the frequent user problem in their community.
Go to www.worh.org/content/rural-emergency-health-care-services-frequent-user-project-wisconsin-office-rural-health to view the request for proposals. Proposals are due to the Office of Rural Health by July 1, 2013. To be considered for a grant, email Kevin Jacobson at kmjacobson2@wisc.edu by May 1, 2013 with the intention to apply.