Rural Spotlight

New Missouri Specific Tobacco Cessation Website

December 17, 2025

New Missouri Specific Tobacco Cessation Website

Patients trust their health care providers, and they need their support to quit tobacco. Tobacco use remains the leading cause of preventable death and disease in Missouri. When a physician advises a patient to quit just once, it doubles their chances of success. Direct patients to YouCanQit.org for tobacco cessation help.

The updated YouCanQuit.Org provides cessation information for everyone. Patients can access free cessation support, information on nicotine replacement therapies FAQs about Missouri Tobacco Quit Services, withdrawal symptoms, coping skills, vaping, and how to support loved ones in their quit journey. Encourage patients to start exploring YouCanQuit.org and learn more.

Visit YouCanQuit.org to access resources for providers:

MRHA Webinar: Beyond Broadband; Uncovering the Hidden Barriers to Rural Telehealth Equity, January 22

December 11, 2025

MRHA Webinar: Beyond Broadband; Uncovering the Hidden Barriers to Rural Telehealth Equity, January 22

Telehealth has transformed rural healthcare by expanding access and reducing travel barriers, but not all communities benefit equally. Persistent socioeconomic and infrastructural challenges continue to limit who can fully participate in telehealth services.

This session, presented by Southern Illinois University, explores findings from a comprehensive narrative review examining how broadband access, digital literacy, and affordability shape telehealth adoption in rural areas.

Participants will gain insight into successful models such as Project ECHO and Avera eCARE, which demonstrates practical, evidence-based approaches to improving access and outcomes. Attendees will leave with actionable strategies for strengthening telehealth equity and closing the digital divide in Missouri’s rural healthcare systems.

Cost: Free

When: Thursday, January 22, 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.

Click Here to Register

PFAC Office Hours: Foundational Elements for Managing a PFAC, December 18

December 11, 2025

PFAC Office Hours: Foundational Elements for Managing a PFAC, December 18

Building and sustaining a successful Patient and Family advisory Council begins with a strong foundation. This event will explore the essential components for effectively managing a hospital PFAC and fostering meaningful collaboration to make an impact. Because this is an office hours call format, during the last half of the call, members of MHA’s statewide PFAC will field questions, share stories and have conversations with the audience.

The Missouri Hospital Association’s (MHA’s) statewide PFAC has announced the winners of our fourth annual Compass Honor Award. During the call, participants will hear from the winners as they share their PFAC journey and lessons learned. This award recognizes two Missouri hospitals that have demonstrated exceptional commitment to improving patient engagement, experience, and outcomes through innovative programs and initiatives.

Objectives

At the conclusion to this session, participants will:

  • Hear best practices for establishing structure, defining roles, setting goals and maintaining momentum within their councils,
  • Experience real-world examples, and
  • Discover practical tools to help strengthen partnerships between patients, families and health care teams.

Cost: complimentary to all attendees

When: Thursday, December 18, 1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.

Click Here to Register

MHA Training Opportunity: Emerging Health Care Leaders, Starts March 24

December 11, 2025

MHA Training Opportunity: Emerging Health Care Leaders, Starts March 24

Emerging Health Care Leaders is a leadership development experience designed for early-career professionals and new leaders in your organization. This program equips high-potential contributors with the insight, tools and awareness they need to lead effectively – now and in the future.

Participants will explore their personality, communication style, coaching skills, personal brand and leadership approach, gaining valuable feedback on their strengths, potential blind spots and growth opportunities. The program is designed to enhance current performance, boost leadership confidence and build readiness for next-level responsibilities.

The ultimate goal of this program is to help your emerging leaders make a greater impact today while preparing them to grow into tomorrow’s leadership roles.

Objectives

Upon completion of this program, participants will be able to:

  • Understand the skills and next-level leadership competencies needed to lead at each stage of career development,
  • Have increased self-awareness of personality, work and communication style and how these strengths and challenges may impact effectiveness as a leader,
  • Learn the importance of professional presence, communication and image,
  • Learn ways to build influence and trust in the organization,
  • Have improved perspective around business ethics and decision making,
  • Learn new tools for effective communication and giving feedback,
  • Build a personal mini leadership development plan to develop competencies for the future, and
  • Learn to share a growth and development plan with their manager for feedback and alignment.

Cost:

  • $495 per person for MHA Members
  • $595 per person for nonmembers

This event is eligible for use of the MHA Health Institute Coupon

Click Here to Learn More and Register

Whitepaper: 2025 Cyber Threat Report: Healthcare Now Accounts for 17% of Cyberattacks

December 11, 2025

Whitepaper: 2025 Cyber Threat Report: Healthcare Now Accounts for 17% of Cyberattacks

In 2024, healthcare faced more targeted cyberattacks than any year on record. Threat actors used tactics once reserved for Fortune 500 companies against small clinics diagnostic centers and regional hospitals.

The 2025 Cyber Threat Report breaks down exactly how these attacks unfolded and what leaders can do now to prepare for future attacks. This report is not just a retrospective. It’s a proactive roadmap to help teams identify, isolate and shut down today’s most dangerous threats.

Learnings include:

  • Why malicious scripts are now the top threat vector in healthcare,
  • How threat actors are bypassing defenses via outdated systems and misused tools, and
  • The shift from ransomware encryption to high-leverage extortion and data theft.

Click Here to Download Whitepaper

On-Demand Webinar: The Cost of Getting it Wrong: Smarter Verification for a Tighter Budget

December 11, 2025

On-Demand Webinar: The Cost of Getting it Wrong: Smarter Verification for a Tighter Budget

Budget cuts, identity fraud, and adversarial AI are putting critical security functions like verification at risk. But as regulations tighten and fraud becomes more sophisticated, getting it wrong has real consequences.

Manual verification, weak authentication, and account recovery vulnerabilities are being exploited.

In this session, hear how health systems are automating user journeys, prioritizing identity verification and making smarter security investments with cost in mind.

Key takeaways:

  • How identity gaps impact patient, payer, and provider safety, revenue cycle and compliance,
  • Where automation delivers quick wins in authentication and verification, and
  • How to invest in security without overextending your budget or infuriating users.

Click Here to Access this On-Demand Webinar

AHA Warns of Deepfake AI Schemes

December 11, 2025

AHA Warns of Deepfake AI Schemes

The American Hospital Association (AHA) is advising healthcare organizations to be on the lookout for deepfake AI scams aiming to deceive employees.

Cybercriminals are increasingly generating audio and video with AI to impersonate trusted individuals at hospitals and health systems, according to the December 3 news release.

“Deepfakes are used to manipulate unwitting individuals by having them click on phishing emails, provide their credentials, hire malicious remote IT workers or transfer funds to criminal accounts,” state John Riggi, AHA national advisor for cybersecurity and risk. “Constant vigilance and multilayered human verification processes are needed, especially as AI-synthetic video and audio capabilities continue to advance.”

The AHA pointed to an infographic from the FBI and American Bankers Association Foundation and a FBI public service announcement as useful resources to help prevent exploitation.

Click Here to Read the 10 Most Common Phishing Emails

Click Here to Read More About Deepfake Media Scams

Click Here to See FBI Public Service Announcement

NARHC Webinar: Medicare Care Management Opportunities – What’s New for RHCs in 2026, December 17

December 11, 2025

NARHC Webinar: Medicare Care Management Opportunities – What’s New for RHCs in 2026, December 17

The National Association of Rural Health Clinics (NARHC) will host a free, FORHP-supported webinar via Zoom with information for Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) on the basic requirements of care management, plus the latest changes from the 2026 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule.

This webinar will feature a subject matter expert from the NORC Walsh Center for Rural Health Analysis. Additional time for Q&A will be provided.

Whether you’re curious about what it takes to begin your RHC’s care management program, or you’ve been providing these services since 2016 and want to explore the newest billing opportunities, you are encouraged to attend this technical assistance webinar.

Advanced registration is required.

Cost: Free

When: Wednesday, December 17, 2:30 p.m.

Click Here to Register

Telehealth Policy Updates

December 11, 2025

Telehealth Policy Updates

Recent legislation authorized an extension of many of the Medicare telehealth flexibilities including waiving geographic and originating site restrictions through January 30, 2026. In support of the extensions, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) published a related FAQ document for calendar year 2026. To support access to care in rural communities, telehealth policies allow:

  • Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) and Federally Qualified health Centers (FQHCs) can serve as Medicare distant site providers for non-behavioral/mental telehealth services through January 30, 2026.
  • Non-behavioral/mental telehealth services in Medicare can be delivered using audio-only communication platforms through January 30, 2026, and
  • FQHCs and RHCs can permanently serve as a Medicare distant site provider for behavioral/mental telehealth services and the in-person visit requirement for mental health services furnished via communication technology to beneficiaries in their homes is not required through January 1, 2026.

Click Here to see FAQ document for calendar year 2026

Visit Tehealth.HHS.gov for FAQs on telehealth policies for RHCs and FQHCs.

Final Outpatient Hospital Payment Rule Released, Effective January 1

December 11, 2025

Final Outpatient Hospital Payment Rule Released, Effective January 1

In November, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued updates to Medicare payment policies and rates for hospital outpatient services under the Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System (OPPS) for calendar year (CY) 2026.

In addition to finalizing the payment rates, this year’s rule includes an update to the methodology used to calculate the Overall Hospital Quality Star Rating to emphasize the Safety of Care measure group in hospitals’ star ratings. It finalizes a new payment for drug administration services provided in off-campus outpatient departments, eliminates the ‘inpatient only’ list, changes the hospital price transparency requirements, and changes to the Hospital Outpatient Quality Reporting (OQR) and Rural Emergency Hospital Quality Reporting (REHQR) programs.

CMS is not finalizing their proposal to increase the annual offset amount for non-drug items and services per the 340B Remedy Rule at this time.  CMS anticipates finalizing a larger reduction (such as 2 percent or other reduction greater than 0.5 percent) beginning in CY 2027; CMS will instead implement the previously finalized 0.5 percent reduction for CY 2026.

Click Here to Read More