Rural Spotlight

Webinar: Federal Rural Definitions, January 22

January 9, 2026

Webinar: Federal Rural Definitions, January 22

In 2025, many agencies across the federal government released new data allowing users to understand how rural populations and areas are changing. This webinar will provide a brief history of rural population over time and review how the term “rural” is defined.

Presenters from the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy (FORHP) will focus on how FORHP compiles information from the Census Bureau, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Economic Research Services (ERS) to identify rural areas in the United States for rural health grant program eligibility. Changes to rural areas, as identified by FORHP with their most recent September 2025 data release, will be highlighted.

Cost: Free

When: Thursday, January 22, 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

Click Here to Register

Webinar: From Insights to Action: Identifying Needs for Rural Substance Use Disorder Training Through Professional Listening Sessions, January 14

January 9, 2026

Webinar: From Insights to Action: Identifying Needs for Rural Substance Use Disorder Training Through Professional Listening Sessions, January 14

This two-part presentation from the Center of Rural Addiction at the University of Vermont (UVM CORA) will:

  • Share findings about what helps and hinders SUD treatment in rural communities, and
  • Introduce the UVM CORA Opioid and Substance Use Treatment Training Scholarship Program – an intensive, no-cost, two-day training initiative tailored for rural primary care practices.

Learning Objectives:

  • Identify methodologies used in listening sessions to explore facilitators and barriers to providing SUD services in rural communities in Northern New England.
  • Summarize practical insights and lessons learned from listening sessions across diverse rural settings.
  • Describe the structure, objectives, and intended impact of UVM CORA’s Opioid & Substance Use Treatment Training Scholarship Program.
  • Explain how feedback from health care professionals has shaped program design and informed broader strategies to support rural primary care teams.

Cost: Free

When: Wednesday, January 14, 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

Click Here to Register

CMS Proposes Changes to Health Plan Price Transparency – Comment by February 23

January 9, 2026

CMS Proposes Changes to Health Plan Price Transparency – Comment by February 23

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), working with the Department of Labor and the Department of the Treasury (collectively, the Departments), requests public input on proposed changes to the payer price transparency regulations intended to make pricing information easier to access for participants, beneficiaries and enrollees, and to improve the consistency and reliability of public pricing disclosures.

Currently, most group health plans and issuers of group or individual health insurance post pricing information for covered items and services, which third parties, such as researchers and app developers, can use to help consumers better understand the costs associated with their health care.

Proposals include reducing the number and size of the machine-readable files that health plans post online, adding data elements to provide context around the data being reported, and improving the ease of locating and downloading the machine-readable files.

Click Here to Read More

Research Alert: Availability of Hospital-Based Obstetric Services in the United States by County, 2010-2023: A State-by-State Report

January 9, 2026

Research Alert: Availability of Hospital-Based Obstetric Services in the United States by County, 2010-2023: A State-by-State Report

Between 2010 and 2023, there have been continued declines in access to hospital-based obstetric services in both rural and urban U.S. communities. During this time, 269of the 3,144 counties (8.6%) in the U.S. lost all hospital based obstetric services; 26 of the counties that lost these services (21 of which were rural) experienced a recent loss, between 2022 and 2023. These losses have resulted in 60% of rural counties and 38% of urban counties not having any hospital-based obstetric services by 2023. Access to obstetric care is especially limited in less populated rural counties. Among rural noncore counties (counties without a town population >10,000), 148 counties (11%) lost all hospital based obstetric services between 2010 and 2023(15 of these losses occurred recently, between 2022 and 2023), resulting in only 24% of rural noncore counties having any hospital-based obstetric services by 2023.

Additionally, there is variation across states in county-level hospital based obstetric services availability. Between 2010 and 2023, there were nine states where more than ten counties lost all hospital-based obstetric services. In Iowa, 20 counties lost all hospital-based obstetric services during this time. In the most recent year of data available (between 2022 and 2023), obstetric service losses at the county level were concentrated in California, Idaho, Indiana, Minnesota, and Nebraska, which lost services in tow counties each. Illinois and Kansas lost services in three counties (all of which were rural), and Ohio experience recent losses in four counties (two of which were rural). Only one state (North Dakota) recently gained hospital-based obstetric services in 2023 in a county without those services in 2022. This gain was in a rural noncore county.

Click Here to Read Full Brief

Whitepaper: Why Credentialing will Move from the Back Office to the Boardroom in 2026

January 9, 2026

Whitepaper: Why Credentialing will Move from the Back Office to the Boardroom in 2026

Static credentialing can no longer keep up with regulatory complexity. As workforce and vendor access expand, periodic checks are no longer enough and hospitals are increasingly exposed.

In 2026, credentialing won’t be a checkbox. It will be a board-level issue, directly tied to operational stability, liability exposure, and even insurability.

This report outlines five predictions shaping the next era of credentialing and why continuous monitoring and AI-driven verification will soon become standard.

You’ll learn:

  • Why insurers will start requiring credentialing programs as part of cyber coverage,
  • How AI is exposing credential fraud and closing long-exploited access gaps, and
  • What CFOs, CISOs and compliance leaders must align on to reduce risk and cost.

Click Here to Download Whitepaper

Webinar: From Fragmented Fixes to Systemwide Control: UVA Health’s Approach to Drug Shortage Management and Supply Chain Transformation, January 27

January 9, 2026

Webinar: From Fragmented Fixes to Systemwide Control: UVA Health’s Approach to Drug Shortage Management and Supply Chain Transformation, January 27

With over 200 active drug shortages in 2025, supply chain disruptions have become a daily operational threat for hospital pharmacies. But UVA Health is showing that health systems don’t have to accept chaos as the norm.

By partnering on a multi-pronged strategy involving AI-powered analytics, smart workflow automation and ready-to-use compounded sterile products, UVA Health built a more controlled, resilient and patient-centered drug supply approach.

Join UVA Health leaders to learn how they transformed their response from reactive to proactive.

You’ll gain insights on:

  • UVA’s shift from fragmented response to end-to-end shortage management,
  • How embedded analytics and automation reduce pharmacy workload and variability, and
  • Key lessons from UVA’s supply chain evolution and how to adapt them fast.

Cost: Free

When: Tuesday, January 27, 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

Click Here to Register

Webinar: How Ardent Health Cut Low-Value Care and Boosted ROI in 90 Days, January 21

January 9, 2026

Webinar: How Ardent Health Cut Low-Value Care and Boosted ROI in 90 Days, January 21

Low value care erodes hospital margins yet is difficult to define.

Ardent Health launched a systemwide initiative to tackle low-value care and strengthen throughput, empowering physicians with in-workflow tools and a shared framework for clinical decision-making with transparency into costs and clinical value of therapeutic options.

In this session, an Ardent leader will share how they drove measurable impact within 90 days, sustained adoption across diverse sites and built a scalable cost containment framework.

Takeaways include:

  • How Ardent defined and targeted low-value care systemwide,
  • The provider engagement strategies that enabled rapid adoption, and
  • A breakdown of early wins and how ROI was validated and scaled.

Cost: Free

When: Wednesday, January 21, 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.

Click Here to Register

2026 Health Care Human Resources Spring Conference, April 16 – 17

January 9, 2026

2026 Health Care Human Resources Spring Conference, April 16 – 17

The Missouri Society for Healthcare human Resources Administration is pleased to announce the 2026 health Care Human Resources Spring Conference, scheduled for Thursday, April 16 and Friday, April 17, in Lake Ozark, MO.

Mark your calendars and make plans to connect with health care HR colleagues for two days of energizing content, innovative insights from industry leaders, expanded networking opportunities, and the chance to earn SHRM and HRCI professional development credits.

Don’t miss this opportunity to invest in your growth and help shape the future of health care HR.

Cost:

  • MHA Members: $500
  • Nonmembers: $600
  • MSHHRA Members: $400
  • New MSHHRA members $475

When: Thursday, April 16 – 17

Click Here to Learn More and Register

Training Opportunity: Emerging Health Care Leaders, March 24-25

January 9, 2026

Training Opportunity: Emerging Health Care Leaders, March 24-25

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
  • Learn to share a growth and development plan with their manager for feedback and alignment.

Cost:

  • MHA Members: $495 per person
  • Non-MHA members: $595 per person

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

When: March 24 – 25

Where: Drury Plaza Hotel Columbia East

Click Here to Learn More and Register

23rd Annual Health Care Leadership Series, March 20 – October 9

January 9, 2026

23rd Annual Health Care Leadership Series, March 20 – October 9

In today’s changing health care environment, accepting a leadership role is far more complex than ever before. MHA Health Institute’s Health Care Leadership Series is a comprehensive leadership training curriculum designed to assist hospitals in developing effective internal leaders.

The series provides:

  • Professional development education,
  • Tools to enhance skills of hospital leaders,
  • Opportunity to develop a professional network, and
  • Template plan for action to implement changes.

The Health Care Leadership Series consists of eight one-day training sessions that will be held monthly, from March through October.

Sessions will be held at Drury Plaza Hotel Columbia East in Columbia, MO.

Cost:

  • $1,399 per person
    • Includes all eight sessions
    • Includes continental breakfast, lunch, refreshments and access to all program materials
    • This event is eligible for use of the MHA Health Institute Coupon

When:

  • Friday, March 20
  • Friday, April 10
  • Friday, May 8
  • Friday, June 5
  • Friday, July 10
  • Friday August 14
  • Friday, September 18
  • Friday, October 9

Click Here to Learn More and Register