Rural & Urban Access to Health (RUAH)
Rural and Urban Access to Health (RUAH) is a community based care coordination program sponsored by St.Vincent Health. Inspired by the work of St. Vincent de Paul, the purpose of RUAH is:
Access to Health Care Services
Health Access Workers: Can help you connect to care by finding a doctor; applying for health coverage programs; connecting to community resources and agencies as well as prescription assistance programs.
Find a Health Access Worker Near You
Access to Resource Information
Family and Social Services Administration (FSSA): Indiana's state wide agency that provides services and enrollment assistance for programs such as Hoosier Healthwise, Healthy Indiana Plan (HIP), Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), etc.
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www.in.gov/fssa/ |
The United States Social Security Administration: Click to find out more about retirement benefits, Medicare, etc.
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www.ssa.gov |
Click for more information about Medicare coverage
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www.medicare.gov |
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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www.cms.gov |
Find Insurance Options
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www.healthcare.gov |
Indiana's State Department of Health: Information about Immunizations; public health issues; etc.
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www.in.gov/isdh/ |
Veteran's Administration: Program Information and Application forms
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www.va.gov |
Updates and Information about new coverage opportunities under the Affordable Care Act
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www.enrollamerica.org |
Online Assistance if you need help with your prescriptions
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www.needymeds.org |
Language Access Assessment Toolkit: This Toolkit was developed by St.Vincent Health to share best practices and learned experiences with hospitals and health systems when addressing language access services for patients and visitors with limited English proficiency (LEP). Log-in information can be accessed by contacting Jessica Thomas.
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www.stvincent.org/laat |
Think Cultural Health for more information on Language Services
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www.thinkculturalhealth.hhs.gov |
The Dispensary of Hope is a not-for-profit social venture that provides sustainable access to medicine for underinsured communities.
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www.dispensaryofhope.org/ |
Covering Kids & Families of Indiana, Inc. (CKF-IN) is a statewide organization committed to ensuring that all children and families eligible for Medicaid and the State's Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) are enrolled. Covering Kids & Families of Indiana is a partnership of more than five hundred organizations and individuals "Advocating Health Coverage for All."
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www.ckfindiana.org/ |
Prescription Assistance program
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www.rxassistplus.com/PAP.html |
Click for more information on Community Health Workers and state coalition health task force.
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www.in.gov/isdh/24942.htm |
The Center for Pathways Community Care Coordination (CPCCC) is a collaborative partnership between the Rockville Institute and the Community Health Access Project (CHAP). Its mission is to reduce disparities in health outcomes and health care among vulnerable at-risk populations.
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www.rockvilleinstitute.org/ |
| Connect2Help 211 helps callers, emailers and visitors to the website to obtain basic needs (food, shelter, heat, etc.), legal assistance, or find help in fleeing domestic violence. |
www.connect2help.org |
Access to Language Services
Medical Interpreters are available in person and/or by phone at all points of services and access within the St. Vincent Health System. Any Associate will be able to point a non-English speaking patient to the resources that will aid their communication with providers and associates.
CyraCom International - Over-the-Phone Medical Interpreter Provider
St.Vincent Health / RUAH provides over the phone medical interpreter services through CyraCom International; telephonic medical interpreters allow system health care providers to access a medical interpreter over the phone in over 150 languages. CyraCom services are available to all limited English speaking patients at no cost to the patients or client throughout the St.Vincent Health system. CyraCom International is endorsed by the American Hospital Association
Vital Document Translation
St.Vincent Health / RUAH continues the work of improving patient centered care for all LEP patients and clients through translation of vital documents. Vital documents are translated for patients in languages other than English. Through the document translations process St.Vincent Health / RUAH continues to provide effective communication that will promote, facilitate and advance the provision of culturally competent and patient- centered care for those who do not speak English as their primary language.
Bridging the Gap (BTG) Medical Interpreter Training Program
The Rural and Urban Access to Health (RUAH) program at St.Vincent Health offers the Bridging The Gap medical interpreter training course to St.Vincent associates and community members. The BTG program was created by the Cross Cultural Healthcare program in Seattle, WA. Bridging the Gap is one of the nation's leading medical interpreter training programs. The certificate of completion is accepted around the United States and is recognized by healthcare organizations throughout the state of Indiana.
RUAH language services coordinates and facilitates the BTG training courses. All Bridging the Gap trainers are licensed through St.Vincent Health and the Cross Cultural Healthcare Program.
More information on the Bridging the Gap course
More Information about RUAH
The CCCLN originated with its champions – Drs. Mark and Sarah Redding – and grew to a network consisting of 17 hub directors, representing 16 distinct community hubs in 10 states. As the network evolved, members engaged in community-based participatory research activities and developed work products such as a guide that provides a step-by-step process to build and sustain an infrastructure to support the delivery of community care coordination services. In September 2011, the CCCLN transitioned from an AHRQ Health Care Innovations Exchange-sponsored learning network to the National Center on Community Care Coordination in the Rockville Institute for the Advancement of Social Science Research.
The Quick Start Guide to Developing Community Care Coordination Pathways
The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality's mission is to improve the quality, safety, efficiency, and effectiveness of health care for all Americans. As 1 of 12 agencies within the Department of Health and Human Services, AHRQ supports research that helps people make more informed decisions and improves the quality of health care services. AHRQ was formerly known as the Agency for Health Care Policy and Research: The Innovations Exchange helps you solve problems, improve health care quality, and reduce disparities.
- Find evidence-based innovations and QualityTools.
- View new innovations and tools published biweekly.
- Learn from experts through events and articles.
The RUAH Innovations Overview can be accessed here:
Field-Based Outreach Workers Facilitate Access to Health Care and Social Services for Underserved Individuals in Rural Areas.
National Institute of Health (NIH) Research Project Site
Standardizing Community Care Coordination Measures Linked to Improvements in Quality of Life and Health Outcomes Among Vulnerable Populations: The purpose of this study is to assess the relevance, feasibility, validity and reliability of the measures through a pilot test at five sites located in California, Indiana, Nebraska, Ohio, and Texas. This work has facilitated the work of RUAH to move from a Volume (inputs/outputs counting) Model to an Outcomes Based Model.
Click here to read the Pathways Overview
Click here to read the Pathways Summary (Bulleted).
Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act (CHIPRA)
St.Vincent Health was the sole Indiana recipient of funding to increase enrollment focused on children who were "hardest to reach" in 7 Indiana counties (Madison, Gibson, Perry, Posey, Spencer, Vanderburgh and Warrick) from 2009 to 2011.
More than 1.5 million children gained Medicaid or CHIP coverage during federal fiscal year 2011 (October 1, 2010 – September 30, 2011). In total, Medicaid and CHIP served more than 43.5 million children last year.
Click here http://www.insurekidsnow.gov/ to find out more about insurance coverage options for Children.
RUAH facilitates the Work Study program for Providence Cristo Rey High School. Providence Cristo Rey is a private, college-preparatory high school for students from families with limited financial means. Providence Cristo Rey combines rigorous classroom instruction with real-life corporate work study experiences for our students by partnering with the finest businesses and corporations in the Indianapolis area. The involvement of St.Vincent Health in the Corporate Work Study program allows Providence Cristo Rey to make a faith-based, college preparatory education affordable to all students and families who could not otherwise afford a Catholic education.
Quarterly Executive Summary
Click here to download the FY13Q2 Executive Summary
Contact Us
St.Vincent Health North Office
Rural & Urban Access to Health
10330 North Meridian Street
Suite 415
Indianapolis, IN 46290
E-mail RUAH