Through rural health networks, patients' needs can be addressed first and system resources can be managed to ensure quality care at the most appropriate site.  Rural health network development strengthens the rural health infrastructure by focusing on strategies to improve the operational efficiency of rural health providers, thus improving retention of providers in underserved areas.  

Rural health network development has been incorporated into the work of the Center to address the following factors that impede access to health services:

 ·        Health care services have traditionally been the responsibility of many different entities that often have limited or no communication with each other.  Through rural health networks, members take collective responsibility for allocating resources, measuring outcomes and quality, and assuring access.  This requires systems in place to improve communication and access to patient information in order to decrease duplication of services.  

 ·        Communities often lack the resources to provide the special services needed by their population, especially at-risk populations. Community-driven rural health networks understand the importance of ensuring access to at-risk populations.  Rural health networks that serve a defined service area can tailor their health care services, pool resources and develop linkages to providers outside of the service area to meet the special needs of their population.

 ·        Too often residents and businesses make decisions about where to obtain needed health care services without regard to the impact that decision might have on the sustainability of their community’s rural health care infrastructure.  Educating residents and business leaders about the structure and financing of health care and involving them in finding the best local solutions to health care issues can lead to the development of sustainable systems of care.

 ·        Decisions about how to finance the delivery of health care are frequently made without accounting for impact on access to health care.  Community-driven rural health networks must use a variety of strategies to achieve maximum discretion in allocation of the health care dollars resulting in increased health care revenue remaining in the community for use in improving health care infrastructure and for the benefit of the rural economy.  

 ·        The strength of a rural network is no greater than the providers that comprise the network.  Thus, the network must continue to strengthen the clinical and operational components of individual provider members in order to maintain appropriate access to health care services.