“Salsafying” Rural Health Care

Sally Trnka, Senior Program Coordinator

I have a friend^* who is a former rural health network director in the great state of Georgia who is really good about coming up with visual representations or activities for the concepts she is trying to communicate.  A couple of years ago she introduced me to a fantastic activity that she did with her Board—they made salsa.  Yep, salsa!  The activity challenged each of her Board members to bring their favorite ingredient in salsa to a meeting.  When they stood around the table, they each put their ingredient into a bowl one at a time; single ingredients going into the bowl.  By the time all the ingredients had been added and mixed together something happened—the whole became indestructible. (Dramatic word used for maximum impact!)  What had been created could no longer be separated and it was better than any of the individual ingredients on their own. 

I have the distinct privilege of working with “salsa”-like organizations every day—a colorful, diverse mix of organizations that come together to address common concerns and tackle mutual goals. Over the last couple of months, I have talked specifically with the Directors of State Office of Rural Health and Flex Program Coordinators who work diligently to support the networks in their states.  In August I was in South Carolina, working with two rural HIT networks and had the distinct pleasure of working in tandem with their Director of Network Activities, Tiffany Simpson-Crumpley, an employee of the South Carolina Office of Rural Health, headed by Director, Dr. Graham Adams.  With her help and guidance, we are able to provide robust technical assistance to those grantees, amongst the others in the state.  In September, I had the honor of sitting in a planning meeting with Karen Madden, State Office Director in New York, who deeply believes in supporting the multitude of rural health networks in her state.   Similar sentiments are shared by Flex Coordinators in Montana, Wisconsin, Florida, Michigan…the list goes on!

More recently I have worked with the Veterans Administration, the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization and the Minnesota Network of Hospital and Palliative Care, the National Cooperative of Rural Health Networks and the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy.  All of these organizations practice the concept of collectivity; that all of us is better than any one of us.  We need the diverse perspective and experiences of stakeholders in order to ensure that we are able to meet the needs of our customers, partners and patients. 

As we face an increasingly complex health care environment filled with dynamic change, and occasional instability, it is crucial that we look for partnership opportunities at every juncture.  It has been incredibly powerful to see organizations come together with a shared purpose, regardless of competition or different ideas of how to get where they are going.  Ultimately, it needs to be about the patients and the communities we serve.  It needs to be about our increasingly aging population and how we can best serve them as they live out their final years in their rural communities.  About how to address health care disparities and access challenges.  About helping our communities to be happier through health and wellness.  About encouraging our patients to receive care at their local hospitals and clinics because high quality care (at lower costs, most of the time) is available in rural communities. 

Accomplishing all of that under the pressure of rules, regulations and policies determined by our elected officials will be hugely challenging, but there is no need the reinvent the wheel or strike out on your own.  Look for the partnerships, for the mutual-wins and for what is best for your communities, patients and staff, recognizing that your bottom line doesn’t have to decline with partnerships.  Usually, the opposite is true.

Go ahead!  Make salsa!

(* Special thanks to Tara Cramer for this great idea!)