Case Study: State Health Agency's Office of Rural Health strengthens rural hospital quality and financial performance with North Highland

State Health Agency's Office of Rural Health boosts hospital ratings to 80.7% with North Highland

North Highland partnered with the Office of Rural Health, a state health agency, to help the state's Critical Access Hospitals survive intense financial strain, workforce shortages, and evolving quality standards. These small, rural facilities risked closure, which would have left isolated communities without essential healthcare access. The challenge was to deliver technical assistance under the federal Medicare Rural Hospital Flexibility Program to strengthen clinical quality, financial performance, and population health.

North Highland implemented a sustained, three-phase methodology involving discovery, assessment, and customized delivery of action plans and training. Over eight years, they built a sustainable support infrastructure. As a result, participating hospitals achieved exceptional clinical ratings, 100% antibiotic stewardship, and a 0.0 infection rate, while financial performance grew with a 33% increase in operating revenue and strong margins. North Highland's work ensured hospitals met federal guidelines, secured continued funding, and built lasting capabilities for independent improvement.