PCH and MSU Working Together for CAIRHE-INBRE Project

Phillips County Hospital and the Montana State University team is enthusiastic to relay that the CAIRHEINBRE project, A Mixed Methods Evaluation of Phillips County Hospital Infrastructure and Rural Community Healthcare Needs Assessment in Malta, Montana, has been funded and notification occurred this past August.

Phillips County Hospital’s CEO Jo Tharp has been working with Erica McKeon-Hanson, a Community Research Associate with MSU and Dr. Elizabeth Johnson, Project Lead and Assistant Professor at the MSU College of Nursing, on the project proposal for funding. Dr. Johnson understands rural communities and is committed to creating solutions to expand healthcare access. Phillips County Hospital would partner with Dr. Johnson and her team of nursing and healthcare experts to complete the project.

Through this project there is a potential gift of a 1,600 square foot semi-modular clinic. The data collection and analysis will determine if this semi-modular clinic would be a benefit to the community. The projects first year will be used to get to know Phillips County Hospital and Family Health Clinic, the staff and community. We are excited to work together on analyzing the operations to guide us in what the next steps will be for the project and implementation of the strategic plan initiatives.

Information on the CAIRHE-INBRE project with PCH:

This project includes evaluation of the built environment in which care delivery takes place. PCH will work with the Montana State University team, led by Dr. Johnson, to identify key areas of interest or priority to the operations of our hospital and clinic through the following:

Community health needs assessment:

PCH will have the chance to evaluate services and resources that the community already has in place as well as strategic planning opportunities to provide future services and resources that meet the needs of our community.

Observational data collection related to existing infrastructure and current patient and provider workflows:

Data collected through observation will allow for an analysis of our current workflows that we have in place, and areas of opportunity to increase efficiency which will assist in improving our patient outcomes and patient care overall.

Semi-structured interviews to identify barriers and facilitators to healthcare delivery:

Interviews that are conducted with healthcare administration and advisory council will allow for identification of challenges and potential opportunities in regards to the delivery of health care services in Phillips County. Determining community needs and how to implement these services will open up opportunities on how to overcome barriers within the rural healthcare system.

For more information about Center for American Indian and Rural Health Equity (CAIRHE) visit: https://www.montana.edu/cairhe/about/For more information about the IDeA Network of Biomedical Research Excellence (INBRE) visit: https://inbre.montana.edu/about.html