Innovation

Outreach and Engagement

The OHRP strives to connect with different stakeholders, communities, and organizations through outreach and engagement efforts. Some of these efforts include:

Bitterroot Workforce Advisory Council Member

Ravalli County Healthcare Workforce Advisory Board Facilitator

Evergreen Bioscience Innovation Cluster Partner

Montana Hospital Association Workforce Development Council Member

University of Washington ITHS Research Navigation Partner

We would love to connect with you to learn how we can support your work and address the needs of your organization/facility/community. Contact Lily Apedaile.

Collaborative Projects

The OHRP develops, manages, and supports several different collaborative projects both at UM and with workforce partners that break down siloes and overcome barriers using out-of-the-box methods to help improve health outcomes in Montana.

Health Extension Office

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 Montana. These organizations include 1) St. Luke Community Health; 2) Logan Health; 3) University of Montana Office of Health Research & Partnership (UM OHRP); 4) Lake City-County Public Health Department; 5) Flathead City-County Public Health Department; and 6) 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 Montana.
  • 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 University of Montana, network members, and local, state, and federal officials.

High School Health Science CTE Pathways

The OHRP supports the development and implementation of high school health science CTE pathways in Montana high schools by partnering with the Montana Office of Public Instruction, Project Lead the Way, local high schools, and healthcare stakeholders. Currently, we are supporting both Hamilton High School and Florence-Carlton High School to implement a 4-year health science pathway in their schools that includes work-based learning experiences at local healthcare facilities. In addition, to supporting the implementation of these programs the OHRP has worked with both Missoula College and Bitterroot College to align the high school programs with postsecondary health profession education opportunities.

 

Montana Collaborative, Technology-enabled, Family-centered Care and Care Coordination Project 

The OHRP, the UM Rural Institute, the UM Center for Population Health Research, and Montana Pediatrics have partnered to develop a model to improve care for children with medical complexity – those who are medically fragile and have intensive care needs. The new model uses the expansion of telemedicine to support parents, caregivers, and providers to improve health equity.

With the use of the telemedicine network – delivered by statewide pediatric experts – families can obtain wraparound healthcare services in an entirely new way that meets them where they are, reducing the time and monetary costs of travel. The project will bring pediatric expertise to children who may otherwise have no access to pediatric care, enacting a family-centered care coordination model. This will support and complement Montana’s existing pediatric primary care and pediatric workforce.