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Partnership Projects

• Missoula College LPN-to-RN Bridge Program

  The OHRP partnered with the Missoula College Nursing Program to develop and implement a fully online, asynchronous LPN-to-RN Bridge program for practicing LPNs in rural ÁÔÆæÖØ¿Ú. This program allows LPNs across the state to upskill to an RN in three semesters. The students in this program complete their clinical rotations in their community or a nearby community. The OHRP manages this project, along with the HRSA funding that currently supports this program.

  Please visit the Missoula College LPN-to-RN Bridge Program website for more information about this program and how to apply.

  This program is supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of an award totaling $3.6 million. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by HRSA, HHS, or the U.S. Government. For more information, please visit HRSA.gov.

• Health Extension Offices

  The UM Health Extension Office Network is an innovative network between higher education, healthcare facilities, and public health entities. The Network consists of a core team of organizations serving communities in western ÁÔÆæÖØ¿Ú. These organizations include:

  1. St. Luke Community Health
  2. Logan Health
  3. ÁÔÆæÖØ¿Ú Office of Health Research & Partnership (UM OHRP)
  4. Lake City-County Public Health Department; 5) Flathead City-County Public Health Department
  5. Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes' Tribal Health Department

  Program activities are coordinated by the UM OHRP in close collaboration with the UM School of Public and Community Health Sciences, and the Center for Children, Families, and Workforce Development (CCFWD). The UM Health Extension Office Network aims to:

  • Improve access through the development of healthcare and public health workforce development strategies that will increase the number of allied health, primary care, and specialty providers in the workforce for Lake and Flathead Counties.
  • Expand capacity and services by coordinating patient care and data sharing with all of the network members to ensure high-quality care and continuity of care for residents in western ÁÔÆæÖØ¿Ú.
  • Enhance outcomes by establishing CABs in Lake and Flathead Counties that will provide input to the Network, which will inform the services and interventions provided by the network members.
  • Sustainability will be a focus by developing a comprehensive sustainability plan and business model that is supported by the ÁÔÆæÖØ¿Ú, network members, and local, state, and federal officials.
• On-Campus Clinic Coordination

  Presently at UM, there are multiple health profession programs and units that provide services to students, staff, and the public, some as part of their academic curriculum for students.  These services are provided at a variety of sites and venues on and off campus.

  UM On-Campus Health Clinics/Centers:

  • Curry Health Center
  • DeWit RiteCare Speech, Language & Hearing Clinic
  • Health Services Pharmacy
  • UM Department of Counseling
  • Skaggs Institute of Health Innovation

  In conversations with a number of these programs, it is apparent each has developed its own policies and procedures on how to bill, code, collect and establish patient medical records for such services.  The programs are interested in moving towards a more coordinated system, similar to an academic health center.

  Areas that will need to be addressed during this process include:

  • Revenue Cycle
    • Billing, Coding, and Collection policies and procedures should be consistent across the UM Campus for all healthcare-related clinics and centers.
  • Patient Medical Records Information
    • Patient Medical Record Management policies and procedures should be consistent across the UM Campus for all healthcare-related clinics and centers.
  • Accounting
    • Revenue and Collections for such services should be clarified in terms of how they are accounted for and who benefits and has access to these funds.
  • Workflow/Operations
    • Consistency across the healthcare clinics and centers regarding workflows (i.e., scheduling, follow-up, referrals, etc.) should be adopted by all clinics/centers on-campus to increase patient accessibility.

  Currently, we are conducting an analysis of the clinic's operations and needs. After this assessment is complete we will develop a strategic plan to determine how to better coordinate all of the clinic's operations. 

• Background

  This collective began as a healthcare workforce advisory group in 2022. Initially focused on addressing healthcare workforce shortages, the group recognized that a broader, systems-based approach was needed to tackle the interconnected workforce challenges in the Bitterroot Valley. In response, the advisory group successfully applied to participate in initiative, becoming one of only 10 communities nationwide selected for the program. Evolving into a formalized collective, it now leverages cross-sector partnerships to address workforce challenges holistically. Members include the Hamilton School District, Bitterroot Health, the Bitterroot Early Learning Network, UM-Bitterroot, and the UM Office of Health Research & Partnership.

• Strategies

  The Roots to Rise Collective employs a comprehensive system-based approach to address workforce and community challenges. A system-based approach is a holistic framework that addresses complex challenges by considering the interconnected components of a system and how they interact. Rather than focusing on isolated issues or solutions, this approach examines the broader context, relationships, and dynamics that influence outcomes.

  In practice, a system-based approach involves:

  • Collaboration Across Sectors: Engaging diverse stakeholders, such as educators, employers, policymakers, and community organizations, to align efforts and share resources.
  • Addressing Root Causes: Identifying and targeting the underlying factors driving challenges, rather than only treating symptoms.
  • Integration and Coordination: Ensuring that various programs, policies, and initiatives work together seamlessly to maximize efficiency and effectiveness.
  • Adaptability: Continuously monitoring and adjusting strategies in response to changing needs, conditions, and feedback from stakeholders.
  • Sustainability: Focusing on long-term solutions that build capacity and resilience within the system.

   The specific strategies we are currently implementing include:

  • Stakeholder Engagement Process: We leverage collaborative partnerships to align the goals of educational institutions, employers, and community organizations, ensuring initiatives meet the unique needs of stakeholders.
  • Integrated Career Pathways: By designing seamless pathways that connect secondary education, post-secondary programs, and workforce development, we aim to increase participation in health science careers and other high-demand fields.
  • Economic Mobility: Create comprehensive career navigation services for high school and adult learners to help them navigate their career journey.
  • Increasing Community Capacity: To address childcare and housing barriers, we build partnerships and resources that enhance access and affordability, enabling a sustainable foundation for workforce and community development.