Office of Rural Health and Primary Care

Rural Health Community Forums

Assessing Needs, Generating Ideas, Seeking Opportunities

The Minnesota Department of Health periodically holds regional community forums throughout the state to gather information and make recommendations regarding rural health care in Minnesota. Community input helps guide Minnesota health care development activities and shapes state and national health care access policies.

The Medicare Rural Hospital Flexibility Program (Flex Program) in the Office of Rural Health and Primary Care (ORHPC) is sponsoring these forums. The Flex Program supports rural communities in preserving access to primary and emergency health care services. The Flex Program focuses on five key components: 1) enhancing emergency medical services, 2) improving quality of care, 3) supporting Critical Access Hospitals (CAHS), 4) developing rural health networks and 5) promoting community development.

Interested citizens, hospital administrators and staff, rural emergency medical services personnel, rural health care providers, and community organizers and leaders are encouraged to participate.

Recent forums

April 16, 2012
St. Joseph’s Area Health Services
Park Rapids, Minnesota
April 17, 2012
Sanford Thief River Falls Medical Center
Thief River Falls, Minnesota
September 11, 2012
Ely-Bloomenson Community Hospital
Ely, Minnesota