HRSA is committed to a comprehensive approach to quality assurance. A key component of this approach is risk management. HRSA has worked with the Risk Management Foundation Strategies (RMFS), an operating division of the RMF of the Harvard Medical Institutions, to provide online risk management educational programs and resources for 450 health centers, free of charge. Health centers interested in participating in the Web-Based Clinical Risk Management Resource Initiative for Health Centers (Initiative) will complete a web-based application found at http://www.rmfstrategies.com/hrsa_risk. Health centers chosen to participate in the Initiative will receive a subscription code, and instructions for using the website during a pilot period from August 1, 2005 through July 31, 2006. Health centers may apply as early as June 30, 2005, but no later than December 31, 2005 to be eligible to participate.

RMFS has 25 years of experience working with the nation's leading academic and community medical institutions whose patients represent diverse populations. RMFS uses a national database of 60,000 medical malpractice claims to design products, services and programs that link clinical quality to the legal and financial aspects of risk management.

Two online subscription resources will be offered to 450 health centers. CME Online (http://hrsa.rmfcme.com) is a website where clinicians can register and participate in eight risk management courses, learning about current problems in health care risk management while earning professional continuing education credits. The courses are designed by risk management experts using input from clinicians who are renowned leaders in the field of patient safety for each clinical specialty. The course list includes topics in patient safety, improving communications in health care, and key clinical risk areas.

RMFinteractive (http://www.rmfinteractive.com) is an online, interactive health care risk management website and library where individuals can register to access articles, participate in interactive exercises, listen to audio news, and stay informed about managing risk in key target areas.

RMFS’ national database of claims shows that the number of claims and suits arising in the office setting has increased by 50 percent in the past five years, and clinical decision-making is a primary clinical risk management issue in 62 percent of office-based claims. Changing clinicians' patterns of practice and redesigning problematic processes in the delivery of health care will require an understanding of the roots of medical error and the technology to improve it. CME Online provides an opportunity for clinicians to learn how to apply safe care strategies in high-risk areas, while RMFinteractive contains information and resources that health centers can use to improve patient safety. Therefore, HRSA is encouraging health centers to participate in these useful, accessible educational programs and multimedia resources that will help staff members learn to deliver safer patient care in a lower risk environment, thus improving health care quality.

Health centers interested in participating in this Initiative should complete a web-based application by visiting http://www.rmfstrategies.com/hrsa_risk.

If there are more interested registrants than available subscription slots, the first preference will be given to FTCA deemed health centers. HRSA will also consider the following criteria in order to enhance the diversity of pilot participants:

• Geographic distribution;
• Diversity of HRSA-supported health centers (i.e., Community Health Centers, Migrant Health Centers, Health Care for the Homeless Programs, and Public Housing Primary Care Programs); and
• Fiscal soundness.

Final approval for health center participation in the Initiative is at the discretion of HRSA.

Once selected for the Initiative, a subscription code will be distributed to each participating health center. Using that subscriber code, health centers will register on the appropriate site and create an individual account. The subscriber code is only required once, at the time of registration, and allows participants to create a unique user id and password. Once registered, subscribers can log in as often as they like with the user id and password they created during the registration process. All user accounts will be valid from August 1, 2005 through July 31, 2006.

• 06/30/05: Health centers begin to submit web-based application forms to RMFS
• 07/15/05: RMFS begins work with HRSA to select health center participants
• 07/21/05: RMFS begins to contact selected health centers
• 08/01/05: Initiative’s pilot period begins
• 12/31/05: Deadline for health centers to submit applications
• 07/31/06: Initiative’s pilot period ends

Questions and comments pertaining to the Web-Based Clinical Risk Management Resource Initiative for Health Centers should be referred to:

Barbara Bartman, MD, MPH, Medical Officer, at (301) 594-4475 or Bbartman@hrsa.gov.