AHRQ’s Health Care Innovations Exchange Focuses on Improving Care for Frontier Populations

The latest issue of AHRQ’s Health Care Innovations Exchange features three programs that used innovative approaches to overcome barriers to health care access in frontier settings. One of the featured profiles, Improving Care for Frontier Populations, describes a program that combines a change in reimbursement policy with additional Federal funding to allow five primary care clinics in Alaska and Washington to stay open around the clock. This enables them to care for patients who cannot be transported to the nearest hospital or who need a period of monitoring and observation before returning home. Through two Federal demonstration projects, five clinics under the Frontier Extended Stay Clinic program received additional reimbursement to cover stays of up to 48 hours, along with funds to cover the costs of facility and staff upgrades. The policy changes have significantly reduced medical evacuations, saving nearly $14 million; improved quality of care; and generated high levels of satisfaction among community members served by the clinics. Select to access more innovation profiles and tools related to rural health care and to telemedicine on the Innovations Exchange Web site, which contains more than 775 searchable innovations and 1,525 Quality Tools.

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