Rural Spotlight

Resources Available as Public Health Emergency Declaration Ends

March 3, 2023

 

Resources Available as Public Health Emergency Declaration Ends

The Biden Administration announced the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency (PHE) Declaration is anticipated to end on May 11, 2023. This will significantly impact CMS Certified Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) and Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs). Please see this linked CMS publication to learn more. Click here to learn more about how the end of the PHE Declaration will affect other provider types.

The National Association of Rural Health Clinics (NARHC) is the nation’s top resource for all things related to RHCs. NOSORH recommends reviewing their article The Approaching End of the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency and Its Implications for RHCs and keeping an eye on the Resources tab for any upcoming TA webinars.

New Wipfli Report: State of Rural Healthcare

March 3, 2023

New Wipfli Report: State of Rural Healthcare Report

Wipfli, LLP, recently published a report based on a survey of more than 100 rural healthcare organizations across 25 states to learn how they’re coping with economic and regulatory challenges. Despite a record number of rural hospitals closing during the past two years and several other rural hospitals at risk of closure, the State of Rural Healthcare report reveals that organizations surveyed are cautiously optimistic for the future. Two-thirds of respondents said their financial situation today is the same or better than it was five years ago. Looking ahead, over 75% of rural providers expect their revenue to grow or remain flat over the next three years

Download the full report to learn how rural healthcare organizations plan to maintain their financial health.

Webinar – Rural Emergency Hospital (REH) General Education

March 3, 2023

Webinar – Rural Emergency Hospital (REH) General Education

Stroudwater Associates, in partnership with the Missouri Office of Rural Health and Primary Care, will provide general education on topics including REH Conditions of participation, clinical services, staffing, general operations, potential community concerns, and finance/reimbursement.

Presenters:

Eric Shell, CPA, MBA, Chairman, Stroudwater Associates

With a dedication to improving rural communities, Eric Shell is an industry leader in supporting rural healthcare in its transition to population health. For his nearly 30 years in healthcare financial management and consulting, Eric’s passion for sustainable and accessible rural healthcare has driven him to help hundreds of rural health systems achieve improved financial and operational performance.

Carla Brock Wilber, DNP, RN, NE-BC, Senior Consultant, Stroudwater Associates

Carla Wilber, an accomplished nurse administrator with a strong background in critical care, education, Lean process improvement, and emergency services, joined Stroudwater in 2014. She has completed numerous facility assessments and process improvements in quality, care management, emergency department, and care transitions for critical access hospitals, rural and urban health systems, and provider groups.

Stroudwater will be hosting the general education webinar on three separate dates. Individuals interested in attending only need to register for one meeting. The schedule below includes the meeting date and time and the link to register for the meetings.

Friday, April 14: 1:30 – 2:30 PM CST

Monday, May 8: 1:00 – 2:00 PM CST

Thursday, June 22: 12:00 – 1:00 PM CST

Contact the Stroudwater Team:

Eric Shell, Principal: eshell@stroudwater.com

Carla Wilber, Senior Consultant: cwilber@stroudwater.com

Lindsay Corcoran, Senior Consultant: lcorcoran@stroudwater.com

Megan Zook, Project Coordinator: mzook@stroudwater.com

Who Do You See When You Think of Rural?

March 3, 2023

Who Do You See When You Think of Rural?

The National Rural Health Association (NRHA) is proud to help better showcase the diversity and power of rural communities.

Older. Sicker. Poorer. White. Less educated. This has long been how rural communities are viewed and stereotyped. Reality is much different — and NRHA hopes to change this narrative.

Rural America is incredibly diverse, innovative, and constantly evolving in culture and community. That’s why NRHA is proud to announce our Faces of Rural Campaign to better showcase the diversity and power of rural communities.

This campaign can be used as an educational tool to create a more accurate picture of rural communities and the dialogue used to discuss and celebrate them.

Watch Video

NRHA was only able to feature a few profiles in the video and invites you to feel free to post some rural faces and the stories behind them on social media with #FacesofRural.

This campaign is the result of a partnership with Legato Healthcare Marketing and showcases communities and programs that exemplify the heart of rural America.

As an organization made up of diverse and passionate membership and staff, NRHA is proud to lead the way in championing this effort.

Free Suicide Prevention Workshop for Service Providers in Rural Communities

March 1, 2023

Free Suicide Prevention Workshop for Service Providers in Rural Communities

Between 2000 and 2020, suicide rates rose 46% in non-metro areas compared to 27.3% in metro areas. Now more than ever, learning actionable skills to help individuals at risk can make a critical difference. SafeSide Prevention and UR Medicine Recovery Center of Excellence together are offering a free, half-day workshop that provides participants with a systematic framework for suicide prevention. This comprehensive training for service providers in rural communities includes special focus on youth, substance use, and Indigenous communities. The interactive workshop features video demonstrations, active discussion groups, and access to the latest research on best practices. For a year after the workshop—also at no cost—you can take advantage of ongoing support, including monthly Q&A video calls and online discussion forums.

Register now and choose from one of three workshop dates: March 21, May 23, or July 25 from 12:00-3:30 pm ET.

Webinar –NRHA’s Rural Hospital HR Certification Program

February 28, 2023

Webinar – NRHA’s Rural Hospital HR Certification Program – Wednesday, March 8 at 12:30 PM

The increasing rates of employee burnout and turnover coupled with the struggle to recruit and retain staff are just some of the everyday obstacles faced by rural hospital HR Leaders. Along with constantly changing policies and regulations and a lack of resources across the board, there has never been a more crucial time to support rural hospital HR Leaders.

Do any of these topics concern with you?

  • Recruiting
  • Retention
  • Burnout
  • Culture
  • Staff & Organizational Training/Development
  • Labor Laws & Regulations
  • Communication
  • FTEs, Productivity, & Payroll
  • Budgeting
  • Employee Engagement
  • Employee Benefits

Learn about how NRHA’s Rural Hospital HR Certification Program can provide the network, knowledge, and tools for your rural hospital’s HR Leaders! Join NRHA on March 8th at 12:30 pm to learn about this one of kind program, created by rural hospital HR executives for rural hospital HR executives.

Register Here

Missouri Immunization Conference 2023

February 24, 2023

Missouri Immunization Conference 2023

Event information and registration is available online. April 26 & 27, 2023 at the Holiday Inn Executive Center – Columbia, MO

Purpose

The 2023 Missouri Immunization Conference brings together bright minds to give talks that are action-oriented on a wide range of subjects related to immunizations to foster learning and inspiration, as well as provoke conversations that matter and actions that lead to increased vaccination rates for Missourians. The theme of this year’s conference is Vaccines: The Building Blocks of Better Health.

Target Audience

  • Physicians
  • Advanced Practice Providers
  • Nurses
  • Pharmacists
  • Public Health Professionals
  • Hospitals & Ambulatory Care Staff
  • Long-term Care Facilities
  • Private healthcare providers

Learning Outcomes

  1. Participants will self-report increased confidence in their ability to advocate for immunizations
  2. Participants will self-report an increase in knowledge about evidence-based strategies to increase immunization rates, address vaccine hesitancy, and combat vaccine misinformation.
  3. Participants will self-report increased confidence in their ability to educate patients on vaccine preventable diseases and how to prevent them.

Accreditation:

Physician

Activity approved for AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™

Nurse

University of Missouri Sinclair School of Nursing is approved as a provider of nursing continuing professional development by the Midwest Multistate Division, an accredited approver by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation.

Contact hours will be awarded.

LPC, Social Work, Psychology, 50-Minute Hour CEs

The University of Missouri Continuing Education for Health Professions (CEHP) is part of an accredited university in the state of Missouri. As such, this program meets the requirements for Licensed Professional Counselors, Psychologists, and Social Workers with Missouri licenses.

Public Health Emergency (PHE) 1135 Waivers: Updated Guidance for Providers

February 24, 2023

Public Health Emergency (PHE) 1135 Waivers: Updated Guidance for Providers

On February 9, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced the Public Health Emergency (PHE) for COVID-19 will end on May, 11, 2023. COVID-19 remains a significant priority for the Biden-Harris Administration and over the next several months, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) will work to ensure a smooth transition.  During the PHE, CMS has used a combination of emergency authority waivers, regulations, enforcement discretion, and sub-regulatory guidance to ensure easier access to care during the PHE for health care providers and their beneficiaries.

Some of the flexibilities that were created during the pandemic were recently expanded by the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023.  Others, while critical during our initial responses to COVID-19, are no longer needed. CMS has made further updates to our CMS Emergencies Page with useful information for providers – specifically around major telehealth and individual waivers – that were initiated during the Public Health Emergency (PHE).

Please reference the following guidance in response to the PHE ending May 11, 2023:

Provider-specific fact sheets about COVID-19 Public Health Emergency (PHE) waivers and flexibilities: https://www.cms.gov/coronavirus-waivers

CMS COVID-19 Waivers and Flexibilities for Providers include:

  • Physicians and Other Clinicians
  • Hospitals and CAHs (including Swing Beds, DPUs), ASCs and CMHCs
  • Teaching Hospitals, Teaching Physicians and Medical Residents
  • Long Term Care Facilities (Skilled Nursing Facilities and/or Nursing Facilities)
  • Home Health Agencies
  • Hospice
  • Inpatient Rehabilitation Facilities
  • Long Term Care Hospitals & Extended Neoplastic Disease Care Hospitals
  • Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) and Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs)
  • Laboratories
  • Medicare Shared Savings Program
  • Durable Medical Equipment, Prosthetics, Orthotics and Supplies
  • Medicare Advantage and Part D Plans
  • Ambulances
  • End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) Facilities
  • Participants in the Medicare Diabetes Prevention Program
  • Intermediate Care Facility for Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities

Department of Health & Human Services Fact Sheet

Announcing the First CMS Health Equity Conference

February 24, 2023

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, CMS, will host its inaugural CMS Health Equity Conference on June 7-8th, 2023. The free conference will be held at Howard University’s Armour J. Blackburn University Center in Washington, D.C. for in-person participation as well as streamed virtually for online participation. The conference will convene leaders in health equity from federal agencies, health provider organizations, academia, community-based organizations, and others, both in person and virtually. Conference attendees will have the opportunity to hear from CMS’s leadership on recent developments and updates on CMS programs; up-to-date research on health equity; discuss promising practices and innovate solutions and collaborate on community engagement efforts.

Based on the CMS Framework for Health Equity 2022-2032, conference attendees will share research, ideas, and initiatives that are measurably reducing disparities in CMS programs and increasing equity for all.

Academics, researchers, community organizations, and others are encouraged to submit presentation proposals beginning on February 27th, 2023. Projects must be piloting or researching health equity solutions that align with the CMS Framework for Health Equity 2022-2032 priority areas. Key research findings and projects will be highlighted at the conference. 

Information and guidelines for submitting proposals can be found on the conference website. CMS will also be hosting a webinar on submitting proposals on March 16th from 12-1pm EDT. Register for the webinar here.

CMS is pleased to host the CMS Health Equity Conference, and looks forward to your attendance.