Category: NRHA

Long Drives, Fading Trust mark New Rural Health Reality

August 27, 2025

Long Drives, Fading Trust mark New Rural Health Reality

It’s been more than three years since the closure of Audrain Community Hospital, ending more than a century of continuous local care in Mexico, Missouri.

Once a cornerstone of rural health in the region and the first community cancer center in the state, the hospital shuttered in March 2022 after a series of management failures under Noble Health and its successor, Platinum Health. For the thousands who relied on it, the closure didn’t just change where they went for care, it changed the very rhythm of their lives.

This same story has played out in rural counties throughout Missouri and the Midwest. Twenty-one hospitals have closed in Missouri in the past 10 years, many in rural areas. Residents must drive long distances for care or make the decision that it’s just not worth traveling until the pain is too great or the symptoms too strong to ignore.

Click Here to Read Full Article

Obesity Rate Changes Differ for Rural, Urban Areas, Regions

August 27, 2025

Obesity Rate Changes Differ for Rural, Urban Areas, Regions

According to a recent study, adult obesity rates vary across geographic regions and rural/urban areas, suggesting the exposure to obesity-related diseases can differ from one location to the next. Additionally, a lack of access to care contributes to lower rural Life expectancies, says NRHA CEO Alan Morgan, along with lifestyle choices and a lack of access to healthy food.

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Webinar: Ninety Days to Dialysis: How a 24-Bed CAH Built a Sustainable Nephrology Program for Local Patients, September 4

August 27, 2025

Webinar: Ninety Days to Dialysis: How a 24-Bed CAH Built a Sustainable Nephrology Program for Local Patients, September 4

What does it take for a small critical access hospital to launch 24/7 inpatient nephrology – and begin building a community dialysis unit – in just three months?

T McKenzie Health in Watford City, ND, leadership saw the need: 36 dialysis patients in their county and the nearest home dialysis facility 180 miles away. Their response? A strategic, phased approach that started with inpatient nephrology and swing-bed dialysis – and laid the foundation for long-term outpatient expansion.

In this session, Dr. Rubin Chandran – a board-certified nephrologist with 20+ years of rural experience – shares the roadmap any CAH can follow to do the same.

You’ll Learn:

  • The 90-day implementation playbook for inpatient nephrology and acute dialysis,
  • The “4 Ps” of due diligence: physicians, prevalence, pipeline, and payer mix,
  • How to use inpatient services to de-risk outpatient expansion, and
  • What it takes to plan, build, and manage a CMS-compliant dialysis unit.

Cost: Free

When: Thursday, September 4, 1:00p.m. – 2:00 p.m.

Click Here to Register

NRHA Webinar: How Air Medical Transport Saves Lives After Traumatic Brain Injury – and What Rural Hospitals Risk Losing, September 11

August 26, 2025

NRHA Webinar: How Air Medical Transport Saves Lives After Traumatic Brain Injury – and What Rural Hospitals Risk Losing, September 11

In rural America, time and distance can be deadly – especially after a traumatic brain injury. This session explores the critical role of air medical services in bridging rural trauma care gaps and improving survival outcomes for patients with brain injuries.

Join Stephanie Queen, RN, a senior clinical leader with more than 20 years in healthcare operations and critical care, Peggy Reisher, MSW, a 30-year brain injury advocate and executive director of the Brain Injury Association of Nebraska, and Tim Chiarolanza, a brain injury survivor whose life was saved by air medical transport. Together, they’ll share compelling data, personal insights, and urgent policy concerns affecting air ambulance access.

Attendees will:

  • Understand the unique causes and long-term impacts of brain injury in rural communities,
  • Learn how air ambulances deliver ICU-level care en route and improve TBI survival rates, and
  • Hear how current Medicare reimbursement gaps threaten access to these life-saving services.

Cost: Free

When: Thursday, September 11, 1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.

Click Here to Register

NRHA’s 23rd Rural Health Clinic Conference and 24th Critical Access Hospital Conference, September 23-26, Kansas City, MO

August 6, 2025

NRHA’s 23rd Rural Health Clinic Conference and 24th Critical Access Hospital Conference, September 23-26, Kansas City, MO

Calling all clinic and CAH stakeholders to Kansas City. Don’t miss your chance to share with colleagues, network with partners, and learn from experts from across the country in NRHA’s Rural Health Clinic and Critical Access Hospital Conferences.

This is your chance to take advantage of over 40 educational and networking opportunities designed for clinic and hospital professionals and board members serving rural America.

Click Here to Learn More and Register

Article: Doctors Who Use AI Perceived Less Favorably, Survey Suggests

August 6, 2025

Article: Doctors Who Use AI Perceived Less Favorably, Survey Suggests

Physicians who use artificial intelligence (AI) are perceived less favorably than those who don’t use it, a survey showed.

In a survey of 1,276 U.S. adults who were shown fake social media or billboard advertisements for family doctors, physicians portrayed to use AI were perceived as significantly less competent, trustworthy, and empathetic compared with those whose AI use was not mentioned, reported Moritz Reis, MSc, of the University of Wuerzburg in Germany, and colleagues.

Additionally, study participants said they were significantly less willing to make an appointment with a physician if any type of AI use was indicated, Reis and colleagues noted in JAMA Network Open.

Key Takeaways:

  • Physicians portrayed to use AI were perceived less favorably than those who were not.
  • They were perceived as significantly less competent, trustworthy, and empathetic, and study participants indicated significantly lower willingness to schedule an appointment with them.
  • Findings held true regardless of whether physicians were portrayed to use AI for administrative, diagnostic, or therapeutic purposes.

Click Here to Read Article.

Rural Health Fellows Leadership Program Applications Open, Apply by September 11

August 6, 2025

Rural Health Fellows Leadership Program Applications Open, Apply by September 11

The National Rural Health Association (NRHA) is now accepting applications for the 2026 Rural Health Fellows Leadership Program.

NRHA’s Rural Health Fellows Leadership Program is a yearlong training initiative designed to develop a diverse, Interprofessional network of rural health leaders from across the country. The Rural Health Fellows program prepares emerging leaders to champion rural health policy and drive meaningful change in their communities. Fellows gain hands-on experience through leadership development, policy engagement, and collaboration with other rural health professionals.

Each year, NRHA selects 15-20 individuals who will:

  • Expand their understanding of rural health policy,
  • Build a national network of peers and mentors,
  • Strengthen leadership and advocacy skills, and
  • Complete a team-based policy project that informs NRHA’s platform.

Applicants must:

  • Be an active NRHA member for at least one year prior to applying, and maintain membership throughout the program,
  • Demonstrate a commitment to rural health,
  • Attend all three in-person sessions:
    • 37th Rural Health Policy Institute, February 10-12, 2026, Washington, D.C.
    • 49th Annual Rural Health Conference, May 19-22, 2026, San Diego, CA
    • 38th Rural Health Policy Institute, February 9-11, 2027, Washington, D.C.
  • Participate in monthly virtual sessions,
  • Contribute to a team-based project, and
  • Be able to cover travel and accommodation expenses

Program Benefits:

  • Practical experience in rural health policy and advocacy,
  • Creation of a group policy brief,
  • Long-term professional connections, and
  • Opportunity to shape NRHA’s policy priorities.

Review Timeline:

  • Application deadline: Thursday, September 11, 2025
  • Notifications sent by: October 2025
  • Accepted Fellows must confirm participation within two weeks of acceptance

Program Cost – there is no fee to participate in the program. Travel and accommodations are the responsibility of the Fellow, though limited scholarship support is available.

Click Here to Learn More

Click Here to Apply

NRHA Webinar: Building Trust and Retention: Practical Communication Strategies for Rural Health Leaders, August 13

August 6, 2025

NRHA Webinar: Building Trust and Retention: Practical Communication Strategies for Rural Health Leaders, August 13

High turnover, disengagement, and strained communication cost rural hospitals time, resources, and patient outcomes. This session goes beyond theory to deliver proven methods you can put into practice immediately.

Jennifer Henry, MBA, has spent nearly a decade helping rural healthcare executives across the Midwest improve retention and team performance. Drawing on real case studies and the Everything DiSC® framework, she will walk you through:

  • Identifying hidden communication breakdowns
    • Learn how to uncover subtle patterns that erode trust and morale – before they drive staff out the door.
  • Defusing conflict without escalation
    • Get practical scripts and techniques to address tension in a way that preserves relationships and accountability
  • Strengthening leadership presence
    • Discover ways to communicate clearly and consistently under pressure, so teams stay aligned during staffing shortages and change.
  • Building Psychological Safety
    • See how small shifts in leadership behaviors can create an environment where staff feel safe to speak up and stay engaged.

You will leave with actionable strategies to reduce turnover costs, improve culture, and build a stronger, more resilient workforce in your rural hospital or clinic.

Cost: Free

When: Wednesday, August 13, 1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.

Click Here to Register

NRHA Webinar: Fixing Employee Health Workflows in Rural Hospitals Without Adding Staff, August 7

August 6, 2025

NRHA Webinar: Fixing Employee Health Workflows in Rural Hospitals Without Adding Staff, August 7

In this session learn how Tanner Health redesigned their employee health processes to reduce onboarding delays, improve documentation accuracy, and streamline compliance tracking – without adding staff or costly systems. You’ll walk away with strategies you can apply immediately to improve workforce readiness and reduce risk.

Tami Turner, BSN, RN, brings over 20 years of clinical experience and now leads onboarding and exposure response across Tanner’s rural hospital system. She’s joined by Samantha Boughner, MBA, who manages employee health systems, reduce manual workload, and increase documentation efficiency in real-world settings.

Attendees will:

  • Identify the most common breakdowns in onboarding and compliance documentation,
  • Learn how to improve tracking accuracy and audit readiness without additional staff, and
  • Take home a practical framework that rural hospitals can implement immediately.

This session is built for rural executives, nursing leaders, compliance officers, and medical group managers ready to fix what’s not working and move forward with confidence.

Cost: Free

When: Thursday, August 7 1:00 – 2:00 p.m.

Click Here to Register

FY2026 President’s Discretionary Budget Request

May 5, 2025

FY 2026 President’s Discretionary Budget Request

Last week, the Trump Administration unveiled their high level FY 2026 President’s Discretionary Budget request. Among these requests, the Trump administration proposes HHS receive $93.8 billion for FY26, a 26.2% decrease from the FY25 enacted level. Funding levels for the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy programs are not articulated, nor those for the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Indian Health Service (HIS), Administration for Community Living (ACL), and Administration for Children and Families (ACF).

Other topline discretionary numbers include:

  • $7.2 billion for HRSA, a 19.4% decrease from FY 25
  • $3.0 billion in discretionary funding for CMS, an 18.3% decrease from FY 25
  • $5.6 billion in discretionary funding for CDC, a 38.9% decrease from FY 25
  • $240 million in discretionary funding for AHRQ, a 35% decrease from FY 25
  • $29.3 billion for NIH, a 38% decrease from FY 25
  • $6.2 billion for SAMHSA, a 14.3% decrease from FY 25

USDA is proposed to receive $22.3 billion for FY26, with an 18.3% cut to base discretionary funding, including a $721 million decrease to Rural Development Programs.

The Missouri Rural Health Association (MRHA) and the National Rural Health Association (NRHA) are monitoring the possible implications these requests will have on rural health. It is critical that Congress fully funds the rural health safety net and protects core rural programs against cuts in the FY 2026 appropriations process.

NRHA is urging Members of Congress to support our requests to improve rural health care access and affordability.

Click Here to see NRHA’s recent appropriations letter to congressional leadership.

NRHA encourages you to also utilize their advocacy campaigns and Urge Congress to Invest in Rural Health (FY 2026 Appropriations).