Your chance to be a Rural Health Fellow, speak in New Orleans

June 30, 2023

Your chance to be a Rural Health Fellow, speak in New Orleans

NRHA is accepting session and research presentation proposals for the nation’s largest gathering of rural health pros, our Annual Rural Health Conference and Rural Hospital Innovation Summit, which will be held May 7-10 in New Orleans, La. These events are curated for anyone with an interest in rural health care.

NRHA is also accepting applications for our Rural Health Fellows program, a yearlong, intensive leadership training. The goal of the Fellows program is to educate and develop a network of diverse rural leaders that will step forward to serve in key positions in the association, affiliated advocacy groups, and local and state legislative bodies with health equity as a main focus.

Submit Session and Research Presentation Proposals

Click Here for Rural Health Fellows Program

NRHA Supports Relaunch of Bipartisan Rural Health Caucus

June 30, 2023

 

NRHA Supports Relaunch of Bipartisan Rural Health Caucus

Last active a decade ago, the Congressional Rural Health Caucus is now in its recruiting phase. The relaunch is a partnership between Reps. Jill Tokuda (D-Hawaii) and Diana Harshbarger (R-Tenn.). NRHA CEO Alan Morgan says the caucus provides “an opportunity to shed light on critical issues facing many rural providers and patients.” According to a 2020 report from the Chartis Center for Rural Health, an NRHA member, 62 percent of rural hospitals don’t have intensive care unit beds. Interested in advocating on behalf of rural health?

Sign up to participate in NRHA’s rural health advocacy campaigns and review NRHA’s updated advocacy 101 guide.

Rural Hospitals Face Closure While Solution Awaits Decision

June 30, 2023

Rural Hospitals Face Closure While Solution Awaits Decision

According to the Missouri Hospital Association, an NRHA member, 18 hospitals in Missouri have shut down since 2014. In an effort to prevent more closures, an omnibus bill is currently awaiting a decision from the governor, but help can’t come soon enough. A total of 195 rural hospitals have shut down across the country since 2005, according to Sheps Center for Health Services Research, also an NRHA member. Additionally, stakeholders suggest that cyberattacks present a growing threat to hospitals’ financial viability. NRHA will share CAH-specific strategies to keep facilities open and care accessible to communities at NRHA’s 22nd Critical Access Hospital Conference Sept. 27-29 in Kansas City.

The Effects of More Than 1 Million Losing Medicaid Coverage

June 30, 2023

The Effects of More Than 1 Million Losing Medicaid Coverage

About 1.5 million Americans have lost Medicaid coverage in more than two dozen states, and hospitals are beginning to see the financial effects of caring for more uninsured patients. Additionally, site-neutral payment has forced physicians, patient advocates, and hospitals and health systems to take sides in the debate over Medicare reimbursement rates based on location of care, and a new report shows that approximately a quarter of residents in 18 states struggle with medical debt.

Register for the NRHA Rural Health Clinic and Critical Access Hospital Conferences, September 26-29, to explore how we can ensure we can care for patients and the bottom line with experts at NRHA’s Rural Health Clinic and Critical Access Hospital Conferences Sept. 26-29 in Kansas City.

CMS: What’s in a Medicare Cost Report?

June 30, 2023

CMS maintains the cost report data in the Healthcare Provider Cost Reporting Information System (HCRIS). The cost report contains provider information such as facility characteristics, utilization data, cost and charges by cost center (in total and for Medicare), Medicare settlement data, and financial statement data.

Medicare-certified institutional (Medicare Part A) providers are required to submit an annual cost report to a Medicare Administrative Contractor (MAC).

CMS released updated Medicare cost report instructions for acute care hospitals at the end of 2022. The revised instructions are effective for cost reporting periods that began on or after Oct. 1, 2022.

Have cost report questions? Attend live training sponsored by the American Institute of Healthcare Compliance on October 24-25, 2023 in Dallas, Texas.

Download the information packet,

register online (seating is limited).

Webinar – Swing Bed Culture and attention to Wellness Vital to Rural Healthcare, A Transitional Care Model

June 30, 2023

Webinar – Swing Bed Culture and attention to Wellness Vital to Rural Healthcare, A Transitional Care Model

Allevant, a joint venture between Mayo Clinic and Select Medical, helps Critical Access Hospitals by developing post-acute Transitional Care programs using available Swing Beds. Focused on helping patients transition to their highest level of independence, Transitional Care is a program that involves the patient and family, makes available the full resources of the Critical Access Hospital and focuses on measured outcomes and evidence-based processes to ensure patients get the best care possible.

Allevant has supported approximately 100 Critical Access Hospitals across 22 states including both independent and part of health systems. Our clients have cared for over 12,000 patients representing more than 158,000 swing bed days.

With a strong focus on quality, outcomes, and growth, our clients saw an average growth in swing bed days of 55% by the second year. 64% of patients were categorized as complex medical or complex surgical which is a growing patient population, and only 7% of Transitional Care patients were discharged directly back to acute care during a program stay of less than 30 days. 76% of patients were discharged from Transitional Care back to independence. The average patient rating was 4.83 out of 5 when asked if patients would “recommend the program to others”.

When: Thursday, July 27, 1:00 – 2:00 pm CST

Register Here

Webinar – Unlocking Value-Based Care: the Critical Role of Team-Based Care

June 30, 2023

Webinar – Unlocking Value-Based Care: the Critical Role of Team-Based Care

Join this exclusive webinar to discover the power of team-based care in rural healthcare. Our expert speakers include Fred Wallisch, Signify Health’s VP and ACO Medical Director, who specializes in clinical oversight, utilization goal setting, and innovative strategies for improved patient care. Catherine Chua, Chief Medical Officer at Davis Health System, West Virginia, with extensive experience in Osteopathic Family Medicine and Integrative Medicine, will provide insights into rural healthcare and patient-centered approaches, and Dr. Steven Reeves, Internal Medicine specialist from Greater Regional Health, will offer practical knowledge on the positive impact of team-based care on provider morale, retention, and buy-in.

Learning Objectives:

  • Understand the role of team-based care in meeting value-based care requirements.
  • Discover how a standardized approach improves annual wellness visit rates, chronic care management, and clinical documentation.
  • Explore the benefits of team-based care for provider morale, retention, and buy-in.

When: Wednesday, July 25, 2:00 – 3:00 pm CST

Click Here to join this concise and informative webinar to enhance healthcare delivery in your rural health organization.

Webinar – Addressing Patient Surges and Rising Costs in Rural Healthcare

June 30, 2023

Webinar – Addressing Patient Surges and Rising Costs in Rural Healthcare

Discover the transformative power of telemedicine in rural healthcare and hear firsthand experiences from AdventHealth Murray Medical Center and AdventHealth Gordon as they share how telemedicine revolutionized their operations, improving sustainability and community service despite fiscal challenges.

Join Jason Povio, President and COO of Eagle Telemedicine, and Dr. Joseph Joyave, CMO and Medical Director for AdventHealth Medical Group, as they discuss their successful strategies. Povio, with his diverse background in systems engineering and healthcare, and Dr. Joyave, a practicing pediatrician and administrative leader, bring valuable perspectives from their unique professional journeys.

During this webinar, you will learn how telemedicine can mitigate fiscal and operational challenges in rural healthcare settings, strategies to reduce patient transfer rates, and address specialty physician gaps using telemedicine. Gain insight into leveraging telemedicine for cost-effective recruitment and round-the-clock patient care.

When: Wednesday, July 19, 2:00 – 3:00 pm CST

Register Here

Learning Opportunity for Rural Hospital CMOs

June 30, 2023

Learning Opportunity for Rural Hospital CMOs

Physician leaders can make an incredible contribution to the success of a rural hospital. NRHA is proud to announce the launch of the Rural Hospital CMO Certification Program. This program is for rural hospital CMOs, created by rural hospital CMOs. With the input of those with first-hand rural CMO experience, this program is pragmatic, efficient, and designed to make an impact.

Program Structure:

  • Online, self-guided learning coupled with scheduled Zoom meetings
  • Time Commitment: Approximately 1 -1.5 hours per week
  • Tuition: $8,900

Topics Covered:

  • Leadership
    • Intra-personal Leadership
    • Inter-personal Leadership
    • Organizational Leadership
    • Community leadership
    • Negotiating
  • Operations
    • Regulatory Compliance
    • Data Analytics & Predictive Analysis
    • Working with your Board
  • Finance
    • Fee for Service
    • Population Health
    • Budgeting for Clinicians
    • Cost Report 101
  • Clinical/Quality
    • Physician/Patient Outcomes
    • Physician/Providers
    • Quality
    • Physician Engagement
    • Non-clinical leader Engagement
    • Nursing Engagement

NRHA’s Rural Hospital CMO Certification Program kicks off on July 19th. To learn more, visit https://www.crhleadership.com/rh-cmo

Apply Now

EMS Missouri Conference and Expo

June 30, 2023

EMS Missouri Conference and Expo

You are invited to attend the EMS Missouri Conference and Expo following the Mobile Integrated Healthcare (MIH) Summit. Join representatives from EMS, MIH, CP backgrounds, policy makers, payers, hospitals, rural health clinics, FQHCs, federal offices, state offices and more.

Major Areas of Focus:

  • SUD/OUD/BH/CIT
  • Data, Patient Outcomes and Continuous Quality Improvement
  • An All Hazards Risk Reduction Approach to Prevention
  • Chronic Disease Management
  • Daily Management & Lessons Learned from the “Boots on the Ground”
  • Partnerships & Funding Streams
  • Health Equity

When: August 1 – 3

Where: St. Charles Convention Center, St. Charles, MO

To register scan the QR Code:

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Click here to register online: