December 19, 2023

NRHA Webinar – Navigating Change: Strategies for Critical Access Hospitals in a Rising Rate Environment

In today’s evolving landscape, Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) face pressing challenges requiring substantial financial investments. This study delves into the complexities of securing resources for:

• Securing resources for CAHs
• Factoring in interest rates
• Project costs
• Cash flow
• Cost-based payments

An analysis reveals that, despite the backdrop of rising interest rates and construction costs, current trends should not deter CAHs from pursuing long-term capital investments. The reimbursement system acts as a safeguard, softening the impact of market fluctuations on rural healthcare.

Join Stroudwater Capital Partners CEO, Brian Haapala, to explore project sizing, early investments, and the advantages of the cyclical interest rate cycle for your organization’s benefit. Discover how to address the unique needs of rural healthcare amidst a rapidly changing financial environment.

When: Wednesday, January 17, 2:00 – 3:00 pm CST

Click here to register

December 19, 2023

NRHA Webinar – Safe by Design: ER Designs to Accommodate Behavior Issues

Emergency rooms serve as a single-entry point for a variety of patients into a hospital. From sick children and expecting mothers to victims of violent crime and traumatic incidents, the ER has to accommodate a wide range of needs, and increasingly, this includes behavioral health patients.

Intentional design is critical to the overall safety of hospital staff, patients, and visitors. When designing Emergency Rooms for behavioral health patients, preserving security for patients and staff, security should be the number one priority.

Crucial security considerations during design include:

• Direct linking of the ED to the behavioral health ward
• Controlling access to all spaces
• Anti-ligature and tamper-proof features
• Limiting or enhancing patient privacy with clear sight lines depending on patient acuity
• Administration of bathroom access
• Designing nurse stations close by the ED holding rooms

These elements and more will be discussed in this lecture by two subject-matter experts, Connor Crist and Megan Vaeth.

When: Tuesday, January 23, 2:00 – 3:00 pm CST

Click here to Register

December 28, 2023

NRHA Webinar – Finding Financial Support for Prescription Medications and Understanding the Medicare Reforms to Lower Out-of-Pocket Costs

The inability to pay for essential medical care is not just a significant problem for the uninsured but also for people who have health insurance. Recent polling by the Kaiser Family Foundation finds that 47% of U.S. adults said it is very or somewhat difficult to afford their healthcare costs, and about 50% said they would be unable to pay a $500 unexpected medical bill without borrowing money.

This is where the PAN Foundation comes in – to serve as a critical safety net for hundreds of thousands of underinsured patients each year. As an independent, national 501(c)(3) organization, PAN helps people across the country get the medications and treatments they need by assisting with their out-of-pocket costs and advocating for improved access, affordability, and equity for all.

Join PAN’s Chief Advocacy and Engagement Officer, Amy Niles, as she explores the important role PAN plays every day in connecting patients with the lifesaving care they need and deserve. During this webinar, Amy will walk through how healthcare providers and pharmacists can help their eligible patients find and apply for grants through PAN’s easy-to-use application process. Finally, Amy will review Medicare reforms, now law, that will lower costs for people on Medicare.

Attendees will walk away from this webinar with a better understanding about:

• The role of charitable foundation assistance programs and why they are needed
• How to connect patients with assistance through PAH’s disease specific funds
• The Medicare reforms enacted through the Inflation Reduction Act (August 2022) that will improve access to care for millions of people on Medicare

When: Thursday, January 25, 1:00 – 3:00 pm CST

Click here to register

December 28, 2023

NRHA Webinar – Developing a Strong Threat Management and Governance Program in Rural Healthcare and Beyond

In today’s complex healthcare landscape, effective threat management stands as a vital element in delivering quality care. Join our tailored webinar crafted for rural healthcare executives to explore essential practices in threat management and governance controls.

Gain insights and practical strategies to fortify security measures, protect patient data, and ensure the resilience of healthcare systems in rural settings.

Learning Objectives

• Identify and assess the distinct threat landscape in rural healthcare settings, understanding the specific challenges and vulnerabilities faced.
• Explore practical best practices in proactive threat management, focusing on identification, assessment, and mitigation of risks in rural healthcare systems.
• Implement effective governance control measures tailored for rural healthcare organizations to ensure compliance and robust security protocols.
• Acquire actionable strategies and tools to strengthen cybersecurity resilience, addressing prevalent challenges of data breaches and cyber threats in rural healthcare contexts.
• Integrate a comprehensive understanding of threat management into rural healthcare operations, empowering executives to fortify security measures and maintain quality care standards in their unique settings.

When: Tuesday, January 30, 2:00 – 3:00 pm CST

Click here to register

December 5, 2023

NRHA Webinar – Finding Financial Support for Prescription Medications and Understanding the Medicare Reforms to Lower Out-of-Pocket Costs

The inability to pay for essential medical care is not just a significant problem for the uninsured but also for people who have health insurance. Recent polling by the Kaiser Family Foundation finds that 47% of U.S. adults said that it is very or somewhat difficult to afford their healthcare costs, and about 50% said they would be unable to pay a $500 unexpected medical bill without borrowing money. That is where the PAN Foundation comes in—to serve as a critical safety net for hundreds of thousands of underinsured patients each year. As an independent, national organization, PAN helps people across the country get the medications and treatments they need by assisting with their out-of-pocket costs and advocating for improved access, affordability, and equity for all.

Join PAN’s Chief Advocacy and Engagement Officer, Amy Niles, as she explores the important role PAN plays every day in connecting patients with the lifesaving care they need and deserve.

During this webinar, Amy will walk through how healthcare providers and pharmacists can help their eligible patients find and apply for grants through PAN’s easy-to-use application process. Finally, Amy will review Medicare reforms, now law, that will lower costs for people on Medicare.

Attendees will walk away from this webinar with a better understanding about:

• The role of charitable foundation assistance programs and why they are needed
• How to connect patients with assistance through PAN’s disease-specific funds
• The Medicare reforms enacted through the Inflation Reduction Act (August 2022) that will improve access to care for millions of people on Medicare

When: Thursday, January 25, 1:00 – 3:00 pm CST

Register Here

December 5, 2023

Webinar – Latest CMS Updates and the Most Frequent Findings in Rural Health Care

CMS Certification is not only necessary for Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) and Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) to receive Medicare and Medicaid payments, but also for payment from many private insurers and participation in Federal grants. Preparation for a CMS survey is critically important for CAHs and RHCs, as adverse CMS survey outcomes can result in termination of your CMS Certification. Rural hospitals and rural health clinics, in particular, have unique challenges, such as limited resources.

Set your organization up for a successful survey and join this webinar to hear from a former CMS surveyor about the latest updates affecting rural hospitals and rural health clinics and the most commonly cited CMS CfCs and CoPs.

After the webinar, attendees will be able to:

• Discuss CMS QSP Memos and Notifications affecting rural hospitals
• Most frequent CMS findings in CAHs
• Most frequent CMS findings in RHCs

When: Tuesday, January 16, 2024, 2:00 – 3:00 p.m.

Register Here

November 21, 2023

Upcoming Webinar – Navigation Change: Strategies for Critical Access Hospitals in a Rising Rate Environment, January 17

In today’s evolving landscape, Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) face pressing challenges requiring substantial financial investments.

This study delves into the complexities of securing resources for CAHs, factoring in:

• Interest rates
• Project costs
• Cash flow
• Cost-based payments

The analysis reveals that, despite the backdrop of rising interest rates and construction costs, current trends should not deter CAHs from pursuing long-term capital investments.

The reimbursement system acts as a safeguard, softening the impact of market fluctuations on rural healthcare.

Join Brian Haapala, CEO of Stroudwater Capital Partners, to explore project sizing, early investments, and the advantages of the cyclical interest rate cycle for your organization’s benefit. Discover how to address the unique needs of rural healthcare amidst a rapidly changing financial environment.

When: Wednesday, January 17, 2:00 – 3:00 p.m. CST

Register Now

November 21, 2023

Upcoming Webinar – Navigating the Future of EMS: Empowering Through Telemedicine, December 14

Explore the Future of EMS with Telemedicine. In a time when EMS faces declining professionals and department closures, telemedicine emerges as a game-changer. Thanks to a $1.7 million state grant EMS agency ambulances now feature telehealth tablets, offering seamless connectivity with Avel eCare clinical providers. This innovation ensures expertise is on hand during emergencies and transport.

Discover how this approach, showcased in South Dakota, connects EMS with physicians early in the care process, enhancing patient outcomes. Learn how telemedicine is improving EMS efficiency, preventing burnout, and adapting to various regions. Join the National Rural Health Association (NRHA) to explore the transformative potential, especially in mental and behavioral health crisis calls.

OBJECTIVE 1: Upon completion, participants will be able to describe and understand implementation strategies and operations of an EMS telemedicine program

OBJECTIVE 2: Upon completion, participants will be able to illustrate effective partnerships between public and private organizations.

OBJECTIVE 3: Upon completion, participants will be able to list the benefits to the community and EMS person.

When: Thursday, December 14, 2:00 – 3:00 p.m. CST

Register Now

November 21, 2023

Upcoming Webinar – Unlocking the Potential of Rural Emergency Hospitals: Strategies for Success and Positive Change

Join the National Rural Health Association (NRHA) for a comprehensive guide on how your community hospital can become a Rural Emergency Hospital (REH) and unlock the benefits of this new Medicare provider type. With 20% of Americans living in rural areas and facing limited access to healthcare, the need for REHs has never been greater.

This webinar will feature a panel discussion with the CEO of Java Medical Group who will share his personal experience with the conversion process and offer insights into his strategies for success moving forward.

Don’t miss this opportunity to get an in-depth look at the benefits of converting to an REH, the eligibility criteria for conversion, limitations, and the steps involved in the conversion process.

When: Tuesday, December 12, 1:00 – 2:00 p.m. CST

Register Now