With the end of the Public Health Emergency, the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) has resumed on-site Operational Site Visits (OSVs).  Although the OSV review team will conduct the review on-site, the HRSA Federal Representative may attend the OSV virtually.  The HRSA Federal Representative is the health center’s point of contact throughout the OSV process, starting with the Pre-OSV call and ending with the delivery of the OSV report. There are frequently a number of OSV sessions, including the tour, the Federal Representative will want to attend.  As a result, the health center must be prepared to conduct the OSV using a “hybrid” approach, where all meetings and sessions are accessible both on-site and virtually.  In the event the Federal Representative attends virtually, they will be responsible for determining which OSV interviews they will attend. 

Below are some tips for preparing for a “hybrid” OSV:

1. Discuss the hybrid process during the Pre-OSV call and ask questions. 
2. Consider workspace and technology capabilities.  There will frequently be multiple sessions (Admin/Governance, Clinical and Fiscal) occurring at one time. 
3. Be prepared to conduct the tour both virtually and on-site at both locations (if applicable).  This requires practice to ensure a streamlined tour and determine areas where connectivity may be an issue. 

Regardless of whether the HRSA Federal Representative will be on site, there will still be meetings conducted virtually, to allow members of the health center’s governing board to attend.  These include the Entrance Conference, meeting with the governing board and Exit Conference.   

Health centers with questions or in need of additional clarification are encouraged to contact their OSV Team Lead or HRSA Federal Representative, following the completion of the Pre-OSV call.  Additionally, health centers can utilize the Bureau of Primary Health Care (BPHC) Contact Form (BPHC Contact Form