The Michigan Center for Rural Health has announced the rural communities to participate in the Cultivating Comfort: Enhancing Palliative Care in Rural Michigan, a rural-focused initiative aimed at expanding and strengthening palliative care services. This project is funded by the Michigan Health Endowment Fund and is being implemented in partnership with Stratis Health.
The implementation phase of MCRH’s palliative care initiative builds on a state-level assessment and the establishment of an advisory council. In selected communities, rural, community-based palliative care programs are developed by leveraging local strengths and empowering communities to design and implement action plans tailored to their unique needs. These efforts enhance symptom management, strengthen family–clinician relationships, and support more comprehensive, compassionate care for individuals with chronic illness.
The Michigan Center for Rural Health is proud to partner with Stratis Health, a longstanding collaborator with over a decade of experience supporting rural communities in developing and implementing palliative care services. Together, MCRH and Stratis Health aim to bring a proven framework for program development to five rural Michigan communities, empowering them to create sustainable and locally driven palliative care solutions.
Our approach is built on engaging each community to identify their unique goals and leverage local capacity, ensuring teams are positioned for successful implementation. To support this effort, MCRH first conducted a state-level assessment and established an advisory group to guide and inform the initiative.
State-Level Assessment & Engagement: June 2024-December 2024
MCRH engaged a diverse range of partners and stakeholders to form a Rural Palliative Care Advisory Council. This council includes representatives from State agencies, Professional associations, Advocacy organizations, Healthcare systems, and Academic institutions. The advisory group completed an environmental scan of current state based palliative care programs and related activities, opportunities, and challenges related to the implementation of rural community-based palliative care. This included review and consideration for opportunities to better support access to high-quality palliative care in rural Michigan through workforce development and skill building, reimbursement, and public awareness.
The Advisory Council the developed recommendations to help address infrastructure needs such as workforce training, technology support, the payment environment for palliative care, and/or address state legislation, rules, or regulations that either hinder or advance the ability of rural providers in supporting community-based palliative care services. This foundational phase sets the stage for impactful community-driven palliative care solutions in rural Michigan.
Amanda St. Martin
Hospital Programs Manager
amanda.saintmartin@affiliate.msu.edu
Aleah Huse
Projects & Communications Coordinator