May 3, 2023
EMS Missouri Conference & Expo – Registration Now Open
Register now for the Missouri EMS Conference & Expo presented by Missouri AAMS, memsa, and the Missouri Ambulance Association, where quality education meets fabulous networking. You will receive the latest info in training, equipment, and tools to make your job easier while providing the highest quality care for your patients.
When: August 1 – 3, 2023
Where: St. Charles Convention Center, St. Charles, MO
May 4, 2023
CMS Issues FY 2024 IPPS/LTCH PPS Proposed Rule
On April 6, 2024, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a proposed rule to update fiscal year (FY) 2024 Medicare payment policies and rates under the Inpatient Prospective Payment System (IPPS) and the Long-Term Care Hospital (LTCH) Prospective Payment System (PPS).
The FY 2024 IPPS/LTCH PPS proposed rule went on display at the Office of the Federal Register Public Inspection Desk and www.federalregister.gov on April 6, 2023, and was published today May 1, 2023. To view the published version of the FY 2024 IPPS/LTCH PPS proposed rule, go to the following web address and click on PDF under Printed Version: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2023/05/01/2023-07389/medicare-program-proposed-hospital-inpatient-prospective-payment-systems-for-acute-care-hospitals
Proposed changes to the Hospital Inpatient Quality Reporting (IQR) Program and other quality reporting programs are included in the regulation. Details regarding proposals for various quality reporting programs can be found on the pages listed below:
CMS will accept comments on the FY 2024 IPPS/LTCH PPS proposed rule until June 9, 2023, at 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time and will respond to comments in the FY 2024 IPPS/LTCH PPS final rule, to be issued by August 1, 2023. Comments can be submitted electronically or via regular mail or express/overnight mail. Please review the FY 2024 IPPS/LTCH PPS proposed rule for specific instructions for each method and submit using only one method.
For further assistance regarding the information, please contact the Inpatient Value, Incentives, and Quality Reporting (VIQR) Outreach and Education Support Team at https://cmsqualitysupport.servicenowservices.com/qnet_qa?id=ask_a_question or (844) 472-4477.
May 4, 2023
Mental Health Awareness Month Promotional Toolkit
MU Extension, the Farm and Ranch Stress Alliance Network (FRSAN) and their statewide partners join the national movement to raise awareness about mental health. Together, they work to fight stigma, provide support, educate the public, make referrals to teletherapy counseling, and advocate for polices that support the millions of Missourians affected by stress, anxiety, and mental illness.
MU Extension and the FRSAN compiled a list of helpful resources to provide all Missourians in a free online publication called the “Mental Health Awareness Month Promotional Toolkit.” The toolkit provides credible resources and reliable tools to promote and support the mental health and well-being of rural individuals, farmers, ranchers, and their families in agricultural communities.
The mental health awareness toolkit includes:
May 4, 2023
Free Virtual RHC Summit: Harnessing Opportunities in Rural Health
Join Wintergreen, The Compliance Team, and Lilypad for the 2nd annual RHC Summit on June 21-22, 2023. This free, virtual educational event features industry experts from across the rural health landscape.
Learn innovations and best practices to improve:
Knowledgeable speakers will present their latest thinking on post-pandemic, forward-looking opportunities as they reflect on lessons learned and recent developments.
Hear about changes regarding:
This highly successful annual meeting is open to providers, management, and all stakeholders involved in rural healthcare, at no cost.
May 1, 2023
Summer Internship Opportunities Available with NRHA
NRHA has developed a robust internship program that gives participants the opportunity to grow professionally and gain firsthand knowledge about rural health. To ensure each intern is provided with a rewarding experience, the association offers three unpaid internship concentrations in communications, government affairs, and program services. Internships can be tailored to meet course requirements if students are interested in receiving academic credit. While we welcome interns year-round, NRHA limits the number of interns it hosts at one time to ensure we offer the best possible experience. If you want to learn more about rural health and how to effectively advocate on behalf of rural patients and providers this summer – or you know someone who does– apply soon and share this opportunity.
May 1, 2023
New Rural Health Voice Podcast on Advanced Nursing Degrees
The latest Rural Health Voice podcast hosted by NRHA past president Beth O’Connor of the Virginia Rural Health Association discusses why rural Virginia needs advanced degrees in nursing with Laurie Anne Ferguson of Emory and Henry, which just launched a master’s in nursing program. “We do know that while some of us have traveled and lived all over, most people tend to stay or go back to where they grew up when they establish a career or start families,” Ferguson says. “By educating nurses in this region, we would be more strategic in being able to recruit … There is (also) a nurse faculty shortage, and one of the ways to solve that shortage is to grow our own.”
Podcast Here
May 1, 2023
NRHA Webinars on Recruitment and Retention, Telehealth
NRHA Partner TRS Managed Services will host a webinar at 2 p.m. CDT May 3 on recruiting and retention for rural hospitals. Jimmie Bilby, TRS Healthcare chief growth officer, has more than 23 years of leadership experience and will share proven strategies including leveraging a hospital’s mission, vision, and values. NRHA Partner Equum Medical will host a webinar at 2 p.m. CDT May 4 on keeping care in rural communities and telehealth as a lifeline for rural health care. Panelists will share how to identify where telehealth can fit in your organization and how to get started. Your chance to discuss rural-specific strategies to enhance telehealth capacity is at NRHA’s 46th Annual Rural Health Conference May 16-19 in San Diego.
May 1, 2023
New Journal of Rural Health (JRH) Articles on OUD Treatment, supporting CAHs, More
The Journal of Rural Health, a quarterly journal published by the National Rural Health Association, serves as a medium for communication among health scientists and professionals in practice, educational, research, and policy settings.
JRH is a peer-reviewed international journal devoted to advancing professional practice, research, theory development, and public policy related to rural health.
Several new articles on the following topics were recently published online:
Access to full-text online articles is reserved for members. To access the journal, contact NRHA’s membership team with any questions about logging in.
May 1, 2023
How Midwives Can Help with Declining Rural OB Care
Some midwives say home births could help more patients in the wake of rural hospital maternity ward closures that have left many families with no obstetric care options nearby. In recent years, several rural Northeast Ohio hospital systems have closed their maternal care centers, forcing patients to drive farther and leaving some with no maternity ward at all. Instead of taking on the burden of extra travel, some rural families are looking to midwives to help fill gaps in care. Let’s share rural-specific strategies to prevent rural maternal morbidity and mortality and address disparities and shortages at NRHA’s 46th Annual Rural Health Conference May 16-19 in San Diego.
May 1, 2023
Medicaid Changes Loom as COVID-era Regulations End
Ending the COVID-19 PHE will require states to disenroll Medicaid recipients who were eligible for coverage as a result of COVID-era regulations. During a recent conference held by the Rural Health Association of Arkansas, an NRHA member, David Mantz of Dallas County Medical Center said hospitals won’t turn away patients who lose their Medicaid coverage, explaining that this would lead to more uncompensated care. It is estimated 15 to 30 percent of Arkansans will be disenrolled from Medicaid. NRHA hopes to help rural health stakeholders continue to communicate COVID-19 vaccine efficacy and safety with the Rural Vaccine Confidence Initiative toolkit.
