Proposed Merger

of

Mountain Health Consortium (MHC), Little Kanawha Area (LKA), Northern WV Rural Health Education Center (NWVRHEC) & Rural Ohio Valley Education Resources Consortium (ROVER)

September 1, 2004

 

Introduction

 

The Restructuring Task Force approved a series of recommendations at its May 17, 2004 meeting.  Included in those recommendations are guidelines related to the Baker-Brody-Jackson Medical Student Distribution Plan, Combining RHEP & AHEC Staff Positions, Enhancing the Interdisciplinary Educational Component of the Curriculum, Developing and Implementing Summer Placements in Rural Interdisciplinary Teams (SPIRIT), and Exploring Partnering with Regional Workforce Investment Boards.

 

In addition, MHC, LKA, NWVRHEC, and ROVER were given the task to consolidate within the twenty-three (23) county service area they manage.  Included are the tasks to consolidate the current six (6) offices, eliminate two (2) secretarial positions, hire three (3) Community Service Coordinators, restructure the Site Coordinators’ positions and have the RHEP OSCD and the NWVRHEC Medical Director be the same position in an attempt to achieve a 15% reduction to the combined operating budget and adhere to the recommended funding level for FY 2005-06.

 

This proposed timeline, budget and justification will allow the merged region of MHC, LKA, NWVRHEC, and ROVER to successfully implement the recommendations set forth by the Restructuring Task Force and represents a true collaborative effort on the part of the MHC, LKA, NWVRHEC, and ROVER Boards.  Members of the Transition Committee are confident that the proposal will strengthen their ability to provide university level programming; secure long term state funding; begin to build a foundation for sustainability; and act as a model for other RHEP/AHEC mergers in West Virginia, ultimately increasing access to quality health care through the recruitment and retention of health professionals throughout the NWVRHEC region and the state.

 

Sincerely

Transition Committee Members:              Susan Barnes, LKA

Kathie Brown ROVER

Kathryn Greenlief, MHC

Tom Hefner, MHC

Lew Holloway, NWVRHEC

Anita Mattingly, LKA

Jay Prager, ROVER

Anna Reno, LKA

Dalena Riggs, ROVER

Allen Wilson, MHC

Sonnie Strader, MHC (ex-officio)

Steve Thomas, MHC (ex-officio)

Northern WV Rural Health Education Center, Inc.

BUDGET JUSTIFICATION 2005-06

    

 

Current RHEP Budgets

MHC

$377,898

 

LKA

$195,100

 

ROVER

$161,096

 

SUBTOTAL

$734,094

 

15% Reduction Recommended For FY 2005-06

($110,114)

 

POTENTIAL RHEP BUDGET FOR FY 2005-06

$623,979

$623,979

Current RHEC Budget

$218,077

$218,077

MERGED RHEP/NWVRHEC BUDGET FY 2005-06

$842,057

 

ACTUAL BUDGET SUBMITTED WITH THIS PROPOSAL

$842,000

 

 

DIRECT SERVICES EXPENSES

 

Student/Resident Housing ($72000):  Rent, lease or mortgage expenses, furnishings, utilities, e-mail and internet access, telephone, cable, property insurance.

 

LRC/Office Rent ($42700):  Within the NWVRHEC region there are currently six (6) office locations.  This budget includes costs associated with the rent or lease of space for three (3) offices within the NWVRHEC region.   The proposed location of office space will include the current ROVER office at Cameron Clinic, closing the LKA office in Grantsville and combining it with the NWVRHEC in Glenville at Glenville State College and closing the MHC offices in Gassaway and Rock Cave and combining them at an undetermined location along the I-79 corridor.  The MHC office located in Grafton will be closed.  In addition, the proposed budget includes funds for the rental or leasing of space to conduct IDS/IDT in Grafton.

 

Staff Salary/Fringe ($406900): The proposal includes the consolidation of office space as outlined above.  Due to this consolidation plan staff needs will also change.  A total of three (3) current positions will be eliminated and two (2) new positions will be created to serve the twenty-three (23) county NWVRHEC region.  Total proposed staff is eleven (11).  Please Refer to chart below.

 

PROPOSED POSITIONS TO BE  ELIMINATED

Position Title

Location

Explanation

1 FTE ~ Secretary

Grafton

Office to close

1 FTE ~ Secretary

Rock Cave

Office to merge w/Gassaway eliminating one (1) of two (2) positions

1 FTE ~ Site Coordinator

Grafton

Office to close

PROPOSED POSITIONS OF THE RHEP/AHEC CONSOLIDATION

Position Title

Location

1 FTE ~ Administrative Assistant (existing)

Located & shared at the merged Grantsville/Glenville office

2 FTE ~ Community Service Assistant (existing)

One (1) located & shared at the merged Grantsville/Glenville Office & One (1) located at Cameron

1 FTE ~ Community Service Specialist (proposed), BS in Community Health or related field minimum requirements

One (1) located at the merged Gassaway/Rock Cave I-79 corridor office & shared with Cameron office

1 FTE ~ Director of Continuing Ed. (proposed), BSN, RN minimum requirements

TBD

1 FTE ~ Executive Director (existing)

Glenville

1 FTE ~ Office Assistant (existing)

One (1) located & shared at the merged Gassaway/Rock Cave I-79 corridor office

4 FTE ~ Site Coordinators (existing)

One (1) @ Cameron, one (1) @ Glenville, two (2) @ I-79 corridor office

           

IDS/IDT Prep & Presentation ($32000):  Payment to preceptors/field faculty for preparation and facilitation of the interdisciplinary sessions (IDS) and the interdisciplinary teams (IDT) throughout the NWVRHEC region.  These individuals will work closely with the NWVRHEC Medical Director and Performance Committee to centralize, manage and focus all NWVRHEC learning activities on health problems found in its twenty-three (23) county region.

 

            Graduate Medical Education ($7900):  Expenses other than those included in the student/resident housing and student/resident LRC that relate directly to resident rotations.

 

            Recruitment & Retention ($10000):  Activities that are used to recruit and retain preceptors/field faculty in primary health care fields in the NWVRHEC region.

 

Community Service ($30000):  Disease prevention at the community level as required in the legislation and determined to be applicable by the Medical Director Performance Committee and preceptors/field faculty.

 

Medical Director ($25000):  One Medical Director will be contracted to serve the NWVRHEC region.  This individual will assist the Ex. Dir. and Site Coordinators in the recruiting of the IDT members and scheduling of IDS/IDT rotations.  Working with the contracted preceptors/field faculty (IDS/IDT Prep & Presentation line item), and the Performance Committee, the Medical Director will provide clinical leadership to design and implement the Faculty Development Plan for the NWVRHEC in addition to providing leadership for the curricular aspect of the IDS/IDT sessions, research and community service.  This position will serve on the NWVRHEC Performance Committee and the RHEP Faculty Development Committee. 

Faculty Development ($25500):  Coordination and assistance to preceptors/field faculty in meeting their CE requirements and obtaining required faculty appointments at West Virginia schools of health sciences.

 

Equipment ($11000):  Any necessary computers, printers, software as needed for new staff, and to replace or upgrade equipment being used during the normal business of the NWVRHEC offices.

 

Residency Program Reimbursement ($40000):  The NWVRHEC will contract with the family practice residency programs at WVU, Clarksburg, and Wheeling.  This contract will reimburse faculty time for supervision of four (4) residents/interns and other trainees for a minimum of two rotations annually for each residency program.  A Residency faculty member and/or the Medical Director will serve as permanent chair of the Performance Committee.

 

 

INDIRECT SERVICES EXPENSES

 

            Administrative Travel  ($36000):  The eleven (11) member staff of the NWVRHEC will require travel mostly within its service area; some travel to statewide committee and panel meetings; and for appropriate staff, travel to national workshops and conferences.

 

Office Expenses ($27100):  Telephone, fax, internet access for the three (3) NWVRHEC offices throughout its twenty-three (23) county region.  Also includes postal expenses and supplies for administration and educational activities including paper, pens, copying, and other desktop supplies.

 

Fiscal Management ($56000):  Charged by the Lead Agency for time spent by its fiscal office processing payroll, benefits, completing the required reports, invoice processing, and preparation of annual audit for the entire NWVRHEC region.

 

Other ($19900):  Includes costs associated with relocating offices (one time expense), utilizing telecommunications systems for statewide teleconferencing, consultation, staff meetings, NWVRHEC board and local board meetings and trainings, travel for regional and local board members to statewide and national workshops/conferences when appropriate.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Transition Timeline

 

Mountain Health Consortium (MHC), Little Kanawha Area (LKA), Northern WV Rural Health Education Center (NWVRHEC) & Rural Ohio Valley Education Resources Consortium (ROVER)

May, 2004 – June 30, 2005

 

Objectives

 

Process

Responsibility

Time Line
Indicators

Outcomes

a.  Organize Transition Committee

To be made up of three (3) individuals from each RHEP that will include two (2) board members & one (1) site coordinator plus the Executive Director of the NWVRHEC

Initially facilitated by MHC 

May 26, 2004

Letter of invitation to all parties

Develop implementation strategy to lead & guide partners toward the suggested merger recommended by the State Rural Health Advisory Panel at its May 17, 2004 meeting

 

 

Assure that all appropriate parties are invited to participate

Initial Transition Committee invitees

July – August

Letter of invitation, phone calls, & emails exchanged between parties

Add the two (2) remaining MHC site coordinators to the Committee as non voting ex-officio members & invite other RHEP staff to participate in meetings

 

 

b. Begin formal discussions

 

 

Schedule 1st meeting at UHC, Clarksburg

MHC, Hilda Heady

July 16, 2004

Meeting minutes 

Agree to move forward with formal discussions

 

Secure formal agreements from each of the local RHEP boards to merge

RHEP Site Coordinators, Local Boards

July – August 2004

Local boards to meet & agree to merger & draft formal letters of commitment to be mailed to appropriate parties

 

All local boards in agreement & all letters drafted by August 16, 2004

 

Determine (1) Total of all RHEP budgets, (2) Anticipated 15% reduction for RHEP FY 2005-06 budget, (3) Total NWVRHEC budget, (4) Total merged RHEP/NWVRHEC budget including 15% RHEP reduction

 

 

 

Transition Committee, Hilda Heady

July 16, 2004

Meeting minutes

(1) Total of all RHEP budgets = $734,094, , (2) 15% RHEP reduction = $110,114,  (3) Total NWVRHEC budget = $218,077, (4) Total merged RHEP/NWVRHEC budget minus 15% reduction = $842,056.

 

Begin to discuss the possibility of combining the RHEP OSCD & the NWVRHEC Med. Dir. positions & agree to develop 1st draft of job description

 

 

Transition Committee & OSCD/Med. Dir. Subcommittee

July 16, 2004

Meeting minutes

Initial job description draft available for review at next meeting

Begin to discuss how budgets will be merged

Transition Committee

July 16, 2004

Meeting minutes

 

Site Coordinators send local RHEP budgets to NWVRHEC office to be compiled

 

Begin to discuss the possibility of contracting with one fiscal agent & one lead agency

 

Transition Committee

July 16, 2004

Meeting minutes

Approach Tri-County Health Care Clinic Inc. to determine interest

 

Begin to review organizational structure, job functions, service areas & reporting relationships

 

Transition Committee

July 16, 2004

Meeting minutes

Review current arrangements to be further developed at next meeting

Schedule 2nd Transition Committee meeting

 

 

Transition Committee

August 16, 2004

Meeting minutes

Begin to address “next steps”

 

Objectives

 

Process

Responsibility

Time Line
Indicators

Outcomes

 

c.  Conduct 2nd Transition meeting

Scheduled for UHC, Clarksburg

Transition Committee

August 16, 2004

Meeting minutes

Begin to address “next steps”

d.  Agreements letters mailed and on file

RHEP boards mailed agreement letter to Hilda Heady, Jim Malone, Chancellor M. Mullen, & Dennis McCutcheon

Site Coordinators & local RHEP Boards

August 16, 2004

Meeting minutes

All the local RHEP Boards agree to move forward & letters have been mailed & are on file

e.  Combine the positions of RHEP OSCD & NWVRHEC Med. Dir.

Following discussion, motion was passed to hire one Med. Dir. for the entire 23 county region who will serve as the Chair of the NWVRHEC Performance Committee & serve on the RHEP Faculty Development Committee

Motion passed unanimously by members of the Transition Committee

August 16, 2004

Meeting minutes

Continue to draft job description based on the contracting of one Med. Dir. for the entire NWVRHEC/RHEP region

Identify cost savings associated with combining positions

Transition Committee

August 16, 2004

Meeting minutes

Projected savings = $78000

Begin discussion regarding how the RHEP honorarium payments will be determined

Transition Committee & Connie Simmons (Tri-County CFO)

August 16, 2004

Meeting minutes

Simmons reported that RHEP Finance Committee is currently reviewing this issue

f.  Contract with one fiscal agent & lead agency

Following discussion motion was passed to retain Tri-County Health Care Clinic, Inc. as the lead agency & fiscal agent

Motion passed unanimously by members of the Transition Committee

August 16, 2004

Meeting minutes

Simmons to report back to Transition Committee regarding costs to provide services  & possible savings

 

g.  Define Organizational structure of merged region

Following discussion, motion was passed to restructure the RHEP service areas with actual delineation to be determined by Site Coordinators

Motion passed unanimously by members of the Transition Committee

August 16, 2004

Meeting minutes

Service areas were identified as follows; (1) Greenlief/Strader, Barbour, Braxton, Lewis, Harrison, part Monongalia, part Marion, Preston, Randolph, Taylor, Upshur

(2) Reno, Calhoun, Doddridge, Gilmer, Pleasants, Ritchie, part Tyler, Wirt, & Wood

(3)Riggs, Brooke, Hancock, Marshall, part Monongalia, part Marion, Ohio, part Tyler, & Wetzel

 

Following discussion, motion was passed to have the NWVRHEC Ex. Dir. supervise all staff through appropriate chain of command

Motion passed unanimously by members of the Transition Committee

August 16, 2004

Meeting minutes

All merged staff will report directly to the Ex. Dir. of the NWVRHEC

Following discussion, motion was passed to merge existing RHEP & NWVRHEC offices, & close the Grafton office

Motion passed unanimously by members of the Transition Committee

August 16, 2004

Meeting minutes

(1) Retain office in the Cameron area, (2) Merge the Grantsville office with the NWVRHEC office at Glenville, (3) Combine the Gassaway & Rock Cave offices into one further north along the I-79 corridor, (4) Close Grafton office 

 

 

Identify cost savings associated with combining/closing offices

Transition Committee

August 16, 2004

Meeting minutes

Projected savings as a result of combining/closing offices = $74,000

 

Schedule 3rd Transition Committee meeting

Transition Committee