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The one constant we've been privileged to observe during our over 35 years in healthcare IT is the remarkable passion, commitment, and self-sacrifice of the doctors, nurses, and healthcare workers who staff this country's rural hospitals.
On numerous occasions, and especially during the pandemic, we have watched them perform the most remarkable feats of service, often with only a fraction of the resources available to other health systems.
This culture of responsibility and community was never more evident than at Lakeland Community Hospital. As National Rural Health Day approaches, we'd like to use this post to tell the story of that culture and of the men and women who, throughout the potential closure of their town's historic hospital, worked through the holidays with the single-minded purpose of saving their patients, colleagues, and neighbors.
We'd also like to take some of the insights we've collected from partner hospitals like Lakeland, the National Rural Health Association (NRHA), as well as other healthcare organizations invested in improving the healthcare outlook for rural populations and present them as a consolidated strategy for rural providers, many of whom are contending with similar challenges.
When the employees of Lakeland Community Hospital heard that their facility would be closing in November of 2017, they were devastated.
The news came in early fall. During a somber meeting in the hospital's conference room, Lakeland's leadership announced that, like so many other rural providers across the country, shifting payment models and constantly evolving legislation had taken too great a toll on the hospital's bottom line.
"Tears just started rolling down my face. I was in shock," recalled Megan Welborn, Lakeland's Director of Imaging Services. "The first thing you think about . . . my family, my job . . . what are we going to do? What's the community going to do? It was just a shock."
The "Home of 911," Lakeland's closure would represent a historical loss and leave the small Alabama town of Haleyville without a hospital. The potential crisis this would create quickly galvanized Lakeland's staff, community members, rural health advocates, and local government—many of whom have spent their entire lives in Haleyville.
After hospital leadership had announced the closure, a city council meeting was called. There were more than 120 people in attendance, including state senators, legislators, and federal officials. Amid the din of competing ideas and visions for the future, a solution was born. With amazing buy-in from the citizens of Haleyville, it was decided that a one percent sales tax increase would finance the hospital and sustain its growth.
In the next two weeks, the people of Haleyville created a plan to keep the hospital open. Along with the sales tax increase, the plan also required an expansion of services, compromises with vendors as well as surrounding area hospitals, and, most importantly, a tremendous commitment from the staff.
In an unprecedented display of comradery, every hospital that had extended a job offer to Lakeland employees agreed to hold those offers for 30-days with no extra incentives.
MEDHOST pitched in by offering to take over Lakeland's central business office functions and create a process for fiscal recovery.
Thanks to the unyielding efforts of hospital staff; the community; and rural health advocates, MEDHOST, and other area hospitals, Lakeland Community Hospital remains open and serving the citizen of Haleyville to this day.
Read the complete story here.
This story isn't isolated to Lakeland. Hospitals in rural communities across the country are struggling to keep pace with changes in healthcare.
Constantly evolving legislation and shifting payment models are among rural health's top barriers. While many of the innovations propelling healthcare ahead originated in rural areas—such as dialing 9-1-1—those same facilities are now closing at alarming rates.
“Hospital closures are a crisis not just for healthcare, but for the overall well-being of the community in terms of economic impact,” summarized Beth O’Connor, NRHA president, speaking during a recent interview with Ken Misch, President of MEDHOST.
The battle to guarantee simple access to healthcare in rural America has been ongoing for over a decade. A large part of that fight centers around effectively linking clinical systems to an increasingly complex financial workflow.
According to The Chartis Group, 47 percent of the country's rural hospitals are losing money. More than ever, these providers require assistance and direction in maximizing care delivery and operations while minimizing expenses.
Streamlining the revenue cycle to meet the demands of today's business environment can be a daunting task. Regulations, inflation, rapidly evolving markets and stubborn workforce challenges only complicate attempts to improve business operations. But by teaming up with a dedicated revenue cycle management partner, your business office can access the tools and expertise needed to fix leaks and get revenue flowing again.
For years, MEDHOST has provided products and services to healthcare facilities of all types and sizes. Today, hospitals nationwide partner with MEDHOST to enhance patient care and operational excellence with our clinical and financial solutions.
Read our strategy guide for rural hospitals here.
Please contact us at inquiries@medhost.com or call 1.800.383.6278 to learn more about the numerous ways MEDHOST helps address difficulties in both rural and community hospital settings.
Earlier this month, Ken Misch, president of MEDHOST, had the opportunity to interview Beth O’Connor, executive director of the Virginia Rural Health Association and president of the National Rural Health Association (NRHA).
In this two-part series, Ken and Beth discuss the developing nature of rural healthcare, some of its most pressing challenges, and how MEDHOST collaborates with rural health systems to continue serving their needs.
The first section of this article emphasized the challenges of connectivity, population health management, and the impact of COVID-19. In this section, Ken and Beth delve into the social determinants of health, interoperability, and the ongoing crisis of rural hospital closures.
Ken: There is a general belief that the social determinants of health present even more challenges for rural populations. Is the NRHA aware of any community organizations trying to address these challenges, and if so, what best practices can rural providers adopt?
Beth: The buzzword is changing.
If you take a look at the term “social determinants of health,” it makes it sound like the outcome is predetermined. Why would we spend time and resources on a population when we already know the outcome?
Instead, we’ve started talking about the “social drivers” of health. Indicators such as poverty, education, and race may drive health outcomes in a certain direction, but we can still do a course correction. Addressing these social drivers is absolutely essential for communities to make progress. Any hospital that wants to address social drivers of health needs to conduct a community health needs assessment that includes questions about those influences and how they should be addressed.
Most grant applications for the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy require that these social drivers be taken into consideration.
Ken: What is your advice for rural health hospital leaders to achieve success?
Beth: I would encourage hospital leaders to take advantage of the tools and resources the National Rural Health Association offers.
At the very least, sign up to receive announcements from NRHA, so you can stay on top of regulations and updates, and what's going on in Congress that could impact your local facilities. No one has time to do all that themselves. Let NRHA do it for you. Then, attend the NRHA rural hospital innovation summit in San Diego next May. This is an opportunity to hear about best practices and talk to your peers about what's working on the ground, and what's not. It's a great opportunity to connect with others that are dealing with the same issue you are and see what new ideas pop out.
When you’re ready to dig deeper, check out NRHA rural hospital CEO certification program. It arms rural CEOs with the competencies and skillsets to take on the unique challenges of rural hospitals and continue to be a top-performing CEO.
Ken: One of the buzzwords we tech geeks have lived with for a while, especially in the provider environment, is the word “interoperability,” which basically means that systems need to talk to each other. What challenges does rural health face in achieving true interoperability?
Beth: Software challenges apply to everyone. For rural areas, the issues are a lack of internet access and digital literacy.
I remember a few years ago, the Virginia Secretary of Technology had asked me to send out a survey to rural clinics about broadband access. I was annoyed because the request was to send it specifically to rural health clinic IT Directors.
There isn't a single rural health clinic in Virginia with its own IT director. If they are part of a larger healthcare system, the IT director is based out of the hub facility and only visits the clinic when necessary.
If we’re talking about an independent facility, the person who installed the server is likely the office manager's nephew, who visited over Thanksgiving. The smaller entities just don't have the capacity to keep up with many of the digital changes we are seeing.
Ken: Healthcare IT companies like MEDHOST partner very closely with rural providers and we’ve become an integral part of that infrastructure. Can you elaborate on how you see the role of healthcare IT companies changing in the future?
Beth: I see that role continuing to expand. Increasingly, rural entities are outsourcing tasks to control costs while maintaining quality. I think the line between healthcare providers and IT providers will become invisible.
Ken: We have been seeing that, certainly. Our clients ask us to do more and more for them because they lack the time or the resources, and we can often do it more effectively at a lower cost.
We’ve talked a little bit about the regulatory environment. What are some of the critical policies that have or will affect rural health in the future?
Beth: The regulatory changes implemented during the early days of COVID, such as those that facilitated telehealth, must stay in place. I encourage everyone to contact their members of Congress and demand that those changes become permanent.
Ken: According to some 2020 numbers, rural hospital closures are at a crisis level. Over 135 rural hospitals have closed since 2010, and more than 450 have been identified as vulnerable based on performance levels.
What are some ways we can see these numbers go down or reverse this trend?
Beth: Hospital closures are a crisis not just for healthcare, but for the overall well-being of the community in terms of the economic impact.
So, there are a few things we can do:
First, we absolutely must extend the Medicare-dependent hospital and low-volume hospital designations. Those are set to expire on September 30, 2022. Currently, there are 139 Medicare-dependent hospitals and 535 low-volume hospitals that are an integral part of this nation’s healthcare safety net. These designations allow hospitals to receive additional Medicare payments that help them stay open to continue to serve the community. It's time for Congress to make those designations permanent.
And when you call your members of Congress to tell them to make the telehealth regulations permanent, make sure to also ask for their support of the Rural Hospital Act to avoid a potential lapse of these lifeline programs
Second, it’s important to permanently eliminate Medicare sequestration for these hospitals. The Medicare cuts are relatively minor for urban facilities, but a 1-2% reduction in reimbursement can make the difference between staying open or closed for rural hospitals.
Ken: What is your vision for the future of rural healthcare IT?
Beth: I’m going to touch back on interoperability, here.
I would love to see a seamless interface between physicians and coders and insurance processes, all of them able to access the information they need without having to check multiple sets of software.
Ken: That is certainly the goal and the vision I think for all of us IT companies that serve rural healthcare customers. We believe interoperability is good for efficiency, clinical care, and the financial well-being of companies in the long term.
The interview concluded with Beth O’Connor reiterating the importance of rural providers getting involved in self-advocacy and staying informed about ongoing Congressional legislation that affects their operation.
To hear more of Beth’s insights on rural health advocacy, check out her contribution to Misinformation, and Making Do: Appalachian Health-Care Workers and the COVID-19 Pandemic, an upcoming collection from Ohio University Press.
As a partner of the NRHA, MEDHOST is pleased to contribute to the sustainability of healthcare in rural America. Please contact us at inquiries@medhost.com or call 1.800.383.6278 to learn more about the numerous ways MEDHOST helps address difficulties in both rural and community hospital settings.
Earlier this month, Ken Misch, president of MEDHOST, had the opportunity to interview Beth O’Connor, executive director of the Virginia Rural Health Association and president of the National Rural Health Association (NRHA).
In this two-part series, Ken and Beth discuss the developing nature of rural healthcare, some of its most pressing challenges, and how MEDHOST collaborates with rural health systems to continue serving their needs.
The first section of this article emphasizes the challenges of connectivity, population health management, and the impact of COVID-19.
Ken: Thank you for joining us today, Beth. Can you start by telling me a little about your current role and why you’re so passionate about rural health?
Beth: I’ve been the executive director of the Virginia Rural Health Association for the past seventeen years. Through that role, I became involved in the National Rural Health Association (NRHA), serving in several positions, including currently acting as the president of the board of trustees.
My passion for rural health comes from growing up in rural Minnesota, and being concerned about the welfare of my family, friends, and neighbors.
Ken: You've been a rural health advocate, as you said, for seventeen years. What kind of new challenges have you seen emerge in that time?
Beth: One is that technology has an increasing influence in our lives and in healthcare. It has become both a way to bridge the rural-urban gap and a contributor to that gap. We can use technology to provide better access to many healthcare services, but only where broadband is available.
For instance, I’m having this conversation from my office, partially because there is no way I could do it from my home.
The other is the concept of population health management. Public health researchers have learned that health outcomes have more to do with where you live than how you live. We can estimate someone's life expectancy based on their zip code.
The challenge is how to address those health inequities. The burden of doing so, for the most part, has been placed on local hospitals, which isn't something these facilities were ever designed to address.
Finding a way forward and addressing population health will be a big challenge for rural hospitals in the future.
Ken: COVID-19 changed the dynamic of our industry and highlighted several needs and wants; what would you say are the biggest lessons you have learned during the pandemic, particularly as it relates to rural healthcare?
Beth: Over the years, I have seen a decreasing level of trust in healthcare providers. Generations ago, the country doctor was an icon of the community. Now, we see people more willing to believe something they read from an unsubstantiated source on the internet than the advice of their primary care provider.
Covid taught us that mistrust in healthcare systems has very real consequences. Before, if someone didn't follow the advice of their doctor, it was their problem. But with an infectious disease, it becomes everyone's problem very quickly.
Ken: What is happening with telehealth in rural communities? COVID-19 seemed to cause a spike, but recent data indicates that it has dropped off significantly.
Beth: Restrictions on in-person care increased the use of telehealth. But more importantly, so did removing the regulations on using telehealth. Congress put in place several provisions that increased the ability of rural providers to serve their patients in a virtual setting.
Unfortunately, those provisions were temporary and will be lifted as soon as the public health emergency has been declared over.
What we need Congress to do at this point is pass legislation to reduce those barriers permanently. No one is going to invest time and resources in a program that could have its reimbursement ended at any minute.
Ken: Do some providers view telehealth as a new form of competition?
Beth: Yes and no.
It would very much depend on the provider. A rural primary care provider most likely isn’t going to be replaced by telehealth. But a rural specialist—maybe so.
In truth, we already have so few specialists in rural communities, I don’t think that’s a serious consideration at this time.
Ken: Workforce development in rural healthcare, including healthcare IT experts, has emerged as a critical challenge during the pandemic. What are some of the biggest callouts that you see arising from that, and how do you think they should be resolved?
Beth: Covid has really brought to light the lack of every healthcare position, whether that’s nurses, phlebotomists, or IT staff.
Looking at what we can do to address that in the future, I see two things:
One, make the cost of receiving an education more manageable. When I attended the International Rural Health Conference in June, the question I was asked most often by people from other countries was “is it true that students go into huge debt in the United States?”
We must find a way to address student loan debt to make sure people can get a quality education without going thousands of dollars in debt.
Two, we need to improve our working environment. Too often employees are treated as interchangeable parts instead of valuable individuals. The percentage of pupils that go into nursing school but leave the field in less than five years is, frankly, a national source of embarrassment.
Until we treat people with respect and pay them in an equitable manner, nothing will change.
Stay Tuned for Part II, where Ken and Beth will touch on social determinants of health, interoperability, the ongoing crisis of rural hospital closure and more.
To hear more of Beth’s insights on rural health advocacy, check out her contribution to Misinformation, and Making Do: Appalachian Health-Care Workers and the COVID-19 Pandemic, an upcoming collection from Ohio University Press.
As a partner of the NRHA, MEDHOST is pleased to contribute to the sustainability of healthcare in rural America. Please contact us at inquiries@medhost.com or call 1.800.383.6278 to learn more about the numerous ways MEDHOST helps address difficulties in both rural and community hospital settings.
The National Rural Health Association’s (NRHA) mission to advocate for the unique health issues of rural communities aligns with MEDHOST’s mission to serve the community hospital and has led to a long-standing partnership between our organizations.
MEDHOST recently sat down with Pat Schou, President of NRHA and Executive Director of the Illinois Critical Access Hospital Network (ICAHN) to discuss current challenges facing the rural hospitals we collectively serve.
Watch here to get to know Pat Schou, learn how her background drives success in her newest role as president of NRHA, and hear her thoughts on the highlighted Best Practices webinar track during this year’s NRHA Critical Access Hospital Conference and the critical need for a Best Practice Implementation plan.
Watch here as Pat Schou highlights the importance of NRHA especially as the COVID19 pandemic continues to impact rural healthcare.
Watch here as Pat Schou addresses the need for ongoing investment in healthcare IT and amplified challenges necessary to meet regulatory requirements.
MEDHOST agrees that during these challenging times, the seamless operations of electronic healthcare records are even more critical to support the hectic workflow of healthcare facilities. More than 50 percent of all EHR systems either fail or fail to be properly utilized.1 Failure can be avoided by choosing a solution that meets your facility’s expectations and is delivered by a partner who understands the key to any healthcare IT project success is built on a solid implementation foundation.
Explore best practice implementations as Doug Allen, Senior Vice President of Implementation Services at MEDHOST, provides the framework for implementation best practices. Doug is a result-driven, operations executive with decades of software implementation services experience. Doug, and his team, work together with providers behind-the-scenes, to orchestrate the least disruptive implementation for MEDHOST solutions avoiding interference of daily operations and ongoing patient care.
Be sure to participate in the Best Practice Implementations webinar during the Best Practices Track at NRHA’s Critical Access Hospital Conference. The session will be held on Wednesday, September 23 at 4 p.m. (CST). Email us at inquiries@medhost.com or call 1.800.383.6278 to learn more about how MEDHOST’s approach to comprehensive implementation services drives success.
1 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3631932/
The battle to guarantee simple access to healthcare in rural America has been ongoing for over a decade. A large part of that fight centers around building sustainability into rural healthcare providers and the services they offer.
As reported by The Chartis Group, 47 percent of the country’s rural hospitals are operating within negative margins. Now more than ever rural hospitals need support and guidance on ways they can maximize care delivery and operations without adding costs.
This white paper collects insights from National Rural Health Association (NRHA) as well as other healthcare organizations invested in improving the healthcare outlook for rural populations. Rural healthcare providers who are seeking to secure their footing within their communities can start by employing the strategies outlined in this guide.
Welcome, guest of honor! Join the conversation with your fellow healthcare colleagues as we record live from the nation's largest rural health conference.
If you were unable to attend or want to expand on what you learned, these off-the-cuff interviews are a valued add-on to your continued education.
Director of the Louisiana State Office of Rural Health Tracie Ingram visits us in the podcast lounge at NRHA's Annual Rural Health Conference to describe her experiences collaborating with federal agencies to develop healthcare solutions for rural communities. She emphasizes that a deep understanding of rural communities is crucial to meeting their healthcare needs, and touches on rural healthcare provider's need for effective, data-driven storytelling.
Macarena Garcia, Senior Health Scientist at US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, sits down with us in the podcast lounge at NRHA's Annual Rural Health Conference to break down a forthcoming CDC report detailing the five leading causes of death, and how they affect rural and urban areas differently. She explains why rural areas are disproportionately at risk for preventable deaths, and urges rural health advocates to use this information to tailor solutions to each unique rural community.
Jac Davies, executive director of the Northwest Rural Health Network, joins us in the podcast lounge at NRHA's Annual Rural Health Conference to advocate partnership with philanthropies to build healthcare capacity in rural communities. She underscores the strengths of rural communities and shares her belief in passionate rural healthcare providers that can grow together through collaboration.
Ryan Kelly, executive director of the Mississipi and Alabama Rural Health Associations, stops by the podcast lounge at NRHA's Annual Rural Health Conference to unpack the infrastructure challenges facing rural healthcare today. He also shares his hopes for Mississippi's new rural health task force and emphasizes the potential of telehealth to address the needs of rural communities.
NRHA CEO Alan Morgan visits us in the podcast lounge at NRHA's Annual Rural Health Conference to reflect upon the inspiration and energy the conference brings to the rural healthcare community. He also touches on NRHA's Rural Health Fellows Program, which is dedicated to cultivating the national rural health leaders of tomorrow.
Virginia Rural Health Association Executive Director Beth O'Connor sat down with us in the podcast lounge at NHRA's Annual Rural Health Conference to dive into one of the biggest challenges facing rural healthcare today: the opioid crisis. She explains how innovative approaches to patient education are key to combatting the crisis and shares a success story from her own organization.
MEDHOST President and CFO Ken Misch spends some time with us in the podcast lounge at NHRA's Annual Rural Health Conference explaining his passion for rural healthcare. He spotlights the good work already being done at rural hospitals across the country while urging rural healthcare providers to evolve beyond traditional care models in order to meet the needs of their communities.
Legato Healthcare Marketing President Mike Milligan sits down with us in the podcast lounge at NHRA's Annual Rural Health Conference to unpack how rural hospitals can develop a marketing strategy that empowers them to thrive. He also underscores the potential for growth in the rural healthcare market and emphasizes that innovative, data-driven marketing can transform the ways rural healthcare organizations serve their communities.
CEO of Administrative Executive Healthcare Services John Parigi stops by the podcast lounge at NHRA's Annual Rural Health Conference to share his experiences in hospital administration and to advocate for the power of collaboration in rural healthcare. He explains how collaboration can address the knowledge gaps of rural hospitals and equip rural healthcare providers to serve their communities more effectively.
Beth Vanderwalker, vice president of operations at Worldwide Health Staff Solutions, stops by the podcast lounge at NHRA's Annual Rural Health Conference to recount how her experiences as a rural nurse have helped her understand the access barriers facing rural communities in need of quality healthcare. She also highlights the nursing and staffing shortages facing communities across the country and illustrates the need to incentivize healthcare professionals to work where they are needed most.
Blue Mountain Hospital CEO Jeremy Lyman joins us in the podcast lounge at NHRA's Annual Rural Health Conference to break down the financial challenges facing rural hospitals today. He also discusses the far-reaching impact that hospital closures and reductions of health services can have upon rural communities, and emphasizes that a passion for the community is at the heart of successful rural hospitals.
Kim Mohan, executive director of the New England Rural Health Association, joins us in the podcast lounge at NHRA’s Annual Rural Health Conference to share how her experience growing up in rural New Hampshire shaped her healthcare advocacy. She discusses the unique challenges posed by rural healthcare and the potential of rural communities to create innovative solutions. She also shares how the Telehealth Resource Center has both transformed the patient experience in rural New England and created unintended challenges for care providers.
Data Complete Vice President Pierce Mooney sits down with us in the podcast lounge at NHRA's Annual Rural Health Conference to explain the gaps that often occur in data transfer between rural healthcare providers. He also shares his optimism that data science can enable rural healthcare providers to care for their patients more effectively.
Welcome, guest of honor! Join the conversation with your fellow healthcare colleagues as we record live from the 30th NRHA Rural Health Policy Institute!
The MEDHOST podcast team is live from Washington, D.C. for the largest rural advocacy event in the country. If you were unable to attend or want to expand on what you learned, these off-the-cuff interviews are a valued add-on to your continued education.
Senior VP of NRHA Brock Slabach joined us in the NRHA 2019 podcast lounge to share the three areas of work he and the organization believe are the future to saving rural health: looking at new payment models, new provider types and the modernization of rural community infrastructure.
Adam Strom, Health Care Consulting Manager at Eide Bailly in Minneapolis, Minnesota visited with us in the podcast lounge at NRHA 2019 and shared why he looks forward to attending rural health conferences like NRHA. He also offered ways urban and suburban communities can understand more about the obstacles faced by rural health care providers.
Kim Tieman, Program Director of Health and Human Services with the Benedum Foundation sat down with us in the NRHA 2019 podcast lounge to explain how networking at conferences like NRHA has given her access to federal officers at cross branches of government to engage with. She said understanding what's happening at the federal policy level allows her to return home to rural health communities with ideas on how to improve and prepare for what's to come next.
NRHA CEO Alan Morgan joined us in the podcast lounge at NRHA 2019 to offer a unique perspective on the push to save rural health. He reminds us that despite the numerous challenges and obstacles faced by these communities, innovation is still happening in rural America, with creative new models of care, delivery of services and new technologies emerging every day.
Director of Government Affairs for the National Association of Rural Health Clinics, Nathan Baugh sat to talk with us in the podcast lounge at NRHA 2019 about the challenges that rural hospitals face, and how he's working to change the outdated laws that perpetuate the problem. He also shares his views on value over volume.
Lacey Tucker, Institute for Translational Research Scholar, joined us in the NRHA 2019 podcast lounge to share her thoughts on the need to influence policy to address the systemic problems facing rural health communities today.
Wendy Welch, Executive Director of the Graduate Medical Education Consortium joined us in the podcast lounge at NRHA 2019 to share the stories some just don't want to hear. She discussed the crushing effects opioid addiction has on rural communities and advocates strongly that the solution to many problems may just reside in the community itself.
Beth O'Connor, Executive Director of Virginia Rural Health Association, sat down with us in the NRHA 2019 podcast lounge to share her plans to meet with lawmakers on the Hill, for the thirteenth year in a row. She offered her advice that one benefit of living in a rural community can be the ability to connect with partners, neighbors and other community leaders faster and more effectively than in larger, urban areas.
NRHA's former president Tommy Barnhart joined us in the podcast lounge at NRHA 2019 with a reminder that rural health goes beyond just access to a hospital, but also includes factors such as education, transportation, housing and economic development. He discussed the need to remain nimble and dynamic in rolling out new models for healthcare delivery and payments for rural communities to protect the access point and services they provide.
US Senator(VA), Tim Kaine, shares his thoughts on what it takes to save rural healthcare in America and emphasizes the need for advocates and expertise from the healthcare workforce.
Ryan Kelly, Executive Director of Mississippi and Alabama's Rural Health Associations, joined us in the NRHA Rural Health Policy Institute podcast lounge to share what he believes is the biggest challenge facing rural community hospitals - the funding mechanisms behind them. He discusses his plans on taking the message to lawmakers and working together to find a better solution.
John Gale, Senior Research Associate with Maine Rural Health Research Center visited the NRHA 2019 podcast lounge to discuss how the recent closures of rural community hospitals has affected healthcare system as a whole, and why it's time to start thinking realistically and creatively about what it means to run a small hospital. He also shared why it's critical the rural communities engage with their local hospitals as service entities.
CEO of Healthy Neighbor Aaron Bland joined us in the podcast lounge at NRHA 2019 to discuss some of the challenges faced by rural communities, particularly in regards to access to proper healthcare information. He also shared his belief that it's up to the younger generations of doctors and healthcare professionals to bring their knowledge and experience back to the older generations within their community as a means of preventative health.
Welcome, guest of honor! Join the conversation with your fellow healthcare colleagues as we record live from the AHA Rural Health Care Leadership Conference!
If you were unable to attend or want to expand on what you learned, these off-the-cuff interviews are a valued add-on to your continued education.
Lisa Killawee, Vice President of Strategic Alliances for Caravan Health and former president of NRHA joined us in the podcast lounge at AHA Rural Health 2019 to share how her own personal experiences with rural health pushed her into a career fighting to improve it. She also shared her hope for future rural health care providers to stress wellness over illness.
Kimberly Dalrymple, CFO of Cascade Medical Center in Cascade, ID joined us in the podcast lounge at AHA Rural Health 2019 and shared some common pain points faced by many rural hospitals, from recruiting top talent staff to losing patients to further, but larger, facilities. She also offered some creative ways they're resolving those problems, and the proof is seeing the old patients come back home.
Gisele Castonguay of the Central Maine Medical Center joined us in the AHA Rural Health 2019 podcast lounge to discuss what she sees as the biggest challenges to rural health disparity - the underinsured or uninsured and the struggles they have to manage chronic diseases. She also shared why her facility actively engages with health home services to bridge the gap.
Debbi Lehner, Senior Health Services Educator at Wichita State University visited with us in the podcast lounge at AHA Rural Health 2019 to discuss the need for continuing education, particularly focused on rural health topics and the specific issues associated with them. As an educator, she is attending the conference in hopes of interviewing rural executives and staff at all levels to bring knowledge back to her own classes.
Director of Nursing at Cox Medical Center, Matt Farmer, sat down with us in the AHA Rural Health 2019 podcast lounge to share the results of several case studies he and his team are presenting this year and how they relate to the discussion on Fee-For-Service models versus Value-Based care in rural communities.
Executive Director of Quality and Risk Management of SGCMH, Hirshell Parker stopped by the AHA Rural Health 2019 podcast lounge to share the results of one of their recent case studies that shows by empowering employees of critical access hospitals with new auditing tools they were able to see a decrease in patient falls up to 60%. He believes the engagement of staff to participate and buy into these new protocols is the key to success.
Chief of Clinic and Surgical Services at Wickenburg Community Hospital Richard Wedig stopped into the podcast lounge at AHA Rural Health 2019 to share why he believes dispelling the misconception of the type of care rural hospitals can provide begins with attracting the top-tier talent. To do this, he also believes the rural hospitals have to invest in the highest quality of resources available to them, from staff to surgical equipment, to continue to get buy-in from the rural communities they serve.
Jeanne Dunk, Trustee of Mt. San Rafael Hospital, visited with us in the podcast lounge at AHA Rural Health 2019 to share her thoughts on how renovating the hospital itself can help attract new patients beyond the rural community. She also shares that attracting new health care providers and welcoming them into the rural community can foster a sense of pride in the hospital and its services.
Ashley Medical Center CEO Holly Wolff sat in our podcast lounge at AHA Rural Health 2019 to share her thoughts on some of the challenges faced by rural community hospitals looking to change the working culture from within. She offered her advice on how to get staff and community leaders involved in the process to put the right pieces together.
TrestleTree CEO Ted Borgstadt joined us in the podcast lounge at AHA Rural Health 2019 to share how proactive prevention can be a challenge, especially in rural hospital communities, but offers significant benefits in the long term. He also offered his insight into how companies like his are working to address the opioid crisis through a predictive approach by studying medial and pharmaceutical claims.
Nicole Mason, Board Member of the Community Medical Center in Falls City, Nebraska sat with us in the podcast lounge at AHA Rural Health 2019 to encourage millennial generations of health care professionals to become more involved in the rural communities around them. She believes that bringing in a new generation can change both the perspective and approach to treating and distributing healthcare information.
Campbell County Health Board Trustee Lisa Harry joined us in the podcast lounge at AHA Rural Health 2019 to explain how her rural mining community is leading the way by investing in their own healthcare systems, and learning to love their own hometown hospital along the way. She also stressed the importance of patient education, allowing those in need to make better, more informed decisions about their own care.
Chief Medical Officer of Medicus Healthcare Solutions, Dr. O'Neil Pyke visited with us in the podcast lounge at AHA Rural Health 2019 to discuss some of the misconceptions of rural healthcare, and how organizations like his help to attract experienced health care providers - and their families - to smaller towns across the country. He also shared his belief, especially working with veteran communities, that a lack of proper mental healthcare leads to an increase in general health issues.
Alomere Health Board Member Kevin Kopischke sat down with us in the podcast lounge at AHA Rural Health 2019 to share some of the unique challenges rural health organizations face while trying to drive a health care system that reduces costs but still provides quality care. He also gave us some insight into how the recent CMS Hospital Price Transparency rules have affected healthcare systems as a whole.
CEO and founding partner of DTA Associates Janiece Gray joined us in the podcast lounge at AHA Rural Health 2019 to discuss the importance of developing service culture training within an organization, and how small steps taken now can improve patient experience for long-term sustainability. She shared with us how her company makes data collection affordable and attainable to critical access and rural health organizations interested in tracking trends and areas for improvement.
