Beyond Experiential Learning: Evaluation of the Medicare Rural Hospital Flexibility Program through a Graduate-Level Health Services Management Course

Background: “Perspectives in Rural Health” is a graduate course where students analyze forces affecting rural health systems.  It won the 2010 National Delta Omega Award for Innovative Public Health Curriculum.  The course was enhanced in 2013 by engaging students in the evaluation of South Carolina’s Medicare Rural Hospital Flexibility (Flex), a federal initiative that improves access to care through technical assistance to rural hospitals.  By engaging students in an actual contracted service, they applied learning in practical ways and gained ‘real world’ experiences to inform their professional purposes and enhance their resume competitiveness.

Methods: Thirteen students were organized into five teams, one for each hospital, to assess benchmarks in:  (1) finance/operations; (2) quality of care; (3) health system development and community engagement.  Benchmarks were assessed using secondary data and information students collected through survey and structured interviews with hospital leadership teams.  Cultural immersion activities were included to enhance social health determinants learning.   Their work was produced in a report, submitted to the contracting organization, SC Office of Rural Health (SCORH). 

Findings:  Students preferred the experiential work over traditional methods (12 of 13 students).  All students reported the activity allowed them to gain and develop knowledge that would be useful to their careers. Two of 13 students completed public health practica with SCORH, who also hired one at graduation.

Conclusion:  The approach addressed an analytical need for a community partner in a cost-efficient way that cultivated the pipeline of public health leadership in rural South Carolina.