ABOUT REH-TAC

ABOUT THE REH TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE CENTER

Introduction to the Rural Health Redesign Center

We are the Rural Health Redesign Center (RHRC), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that has been appointed to serve as the national Rural Emergency Hospital Technical Assistance Center. We are committed to providing comprehensive support and and guidance to rural healthcare facilities seeking to enhance their services and meet the critical needs of their communities.

Understand if REH is Right For Your Hospital

Join our REH assessment process and we’ll take you through all the steps of consideration, application, and conversion.

Talking to Your Community About REH

Interested in asking your community for feedback? We’ve developed tools for communicating with your community about the REH designation.

Peer Group of CEOs Post Conversion

Develop partnerships and expand your knowledge in this transformative, peer-driven, capacity-building network.

The RHRC is committed to helping rural communities thrive.

Our Mission

Our mission is to protect and promote access to high-quality healthcare in rural communities by encouraging innovation in healthcare delivery. Since 2022, the RHRC has been working in cooperation with the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to provide technical assistance nationwide to rural hospitals interested in assessing the feasibility of the new Rural Emergency Hospital provider designation and to those who have converted.

Our Vision and Expertise

Our vision is to help rural communities thrive through improved health. We have a wealth of experience in healthcare, and we share your passion for rural healthcare and rural communities. As the Rural Emergency Hospital Technical Assistance Center, we have been tasked with walking you through a process that includes education, financial modeling, strategic planning, and application.

Leveraging our experience in Pennsylvania, we work in coordination with our partners to provide technical assistance to rural hospitals nationwide interested in exploring the new Rural Emergency Hospital (REH) designation made available through the Medicare Rural Hospital Flexibility Program.

Our Commitment

We utilize scalable solutions to help eligible critical access and small rural hospitals:

Whether you’re looking for detailed information on the REH designation process, seeking advice on compliance and best practices, or networking with a peer group of CEOs whose facilities have gone through the transition, we are here to assist you. We have rurally relevant healthcare experience that helps us understand the unique challenges faced by rural healthcare providers, and we are dedicated to helping you deliver exceptional, sustainable healthcare services to your communities. 

Interested in Receiving Support from the Rural Emergency Hospital Technical Assistance Center?

Let us know by completing our brief intake form and telling us a little about your organization and the type(s) of support you are looking for.

Our Impact

128

Hospitals supported

17,000

Hours spent coaching and supporting hospitals

2.4M

Rural residents

Meet Our REH Technical Assistance Center Leaders

Our team is composed of long-term rural residents and healthcare executives. Our passion to help rural communities thrive comes from our lived experience, and we are committed to addressing rurally relevant issues through creative and practical approaches.

Janice Walters

Executive Director

Anna Anna

Program Director

Angie Slemok

Project Manager

Bill Bizzaro

Finance Supervisor of Client Services

Dan Simmons

Provider Liaison

Ed Pitchford

Provider Liaison

Janice Walters
Executive Director
Janice has been leading the work of the RHRC since its inception. She has a background in health finance and is a highly rated rural health expert with over 20 years of relevant leadership experience.
Anna Anna
Program Director

Anna is a former CEO of a Critical Access Hospital. She understands the complexities of rural healthcare and can relate to healthcare leaders, having been in their shoes. In her role, she helps hospitals across the country assess their potential for the Rural Emergency Hospital Designation.

Angie Slemok
Project Manager

Angie serves as a Project Manager, leveraging her excellent communication and managerial skills. She is passionate about patient advocacy and understands the rural perspective from her time living in a rural community.

Bill Bizzaro
Finance Supervisor of Client Services

Bill brings over 20 years of rural health experience, 15 of those in health finance. With his professional background, Bill understands the complexities of rural healthcare and can relate to the difficult decisions that rural healthcare leaders face on a daily basis.

Dan Simmons
Provider Liaison
Dan joined the RHRC in 2022 with over 38 years in healthcare leadership. He is the former Senior VP of a PA Rural Health Model participant hospital. In that role, he helped the hospital navigate the changes from Medicare and Medicaid through the COVID pandemic and maintain its independence for over 37 years.
Ed Pitchford
Provider Liaison

Ed joined the RHRC in 2022 with over 40 years of experience in the healthcare industry. He is the former President and CEO of a rural Pennsylvania hospital, where he was proficient in professional recruiting, operations management, physician management, strategic planning, advocacy, and coaching. 

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