The Task Force on Ensuring Access in Vulnerable Communities (VCTF) Rural and Frontier has released its report and executive summary, capping off a yearlong effort to identify the characteristics and parameters of vulnerable rural or frontier communities and study opportunities for emerging strategies, delivery models and payment models.
The report, which will be distributed at this week’s 90th Annual Convention, is also available through this online link.
Last fall, the SDAHO Board of Trustees last fall created the 17-member VCTF task force, which followed a structure established by the American Hospital Association (AHA) Task Force on Ensuring Access in Vulnerable Communities.
Excessive federal regulations and obsolete financing mechanisms put stress on rural and frontier health care providers, whose workforce and finances are already limited by factors such as socioeconomic and demographic challenges. Communities experiencing multiple vulnerability traits are susceptible to a cumulative vulnerability risk that endangers the sustainability of quality health care services for more than 450,000 individuals – half of our state – living in rural and frontier South Dakota.
The task force also explored what state and federal government can do to create a climate for transition to these different models.
The task force will be sharing its findings with national partners such as AHA, LeadingAge and others, and members will continue to identify and monitor legislation that proposes changes in rural/frontier health care delivery models.
