Rural Spotlight

Register Now – Health Care Workforce Innovation Bi-State Summit, October 2-3

September 12, 2025

Register Now – Health Care Workforce Innovation Bi-State Summit, October 2-3

The Kansas Hospital Association and Missouri Hospital Association are partnering to present the Health Care Workforce Innovation Bi-State Summit, a groundbreaking event focused on strengthening the health care workforce across the region.

This summit will bring together leaders, educators, and innovators to explore actionable strategies in key areas such as building the K-12 pipeline, transforming nursing and allied health education, and enhancing workforce well-being. Attendees will hear from experts on how to empower workforce growth through upskilling, address challenges in care delivery, and use data to drive meaningful change.

Whether you’re a hospital leader, educator, or advocate for nursing and allied health, this summit offers the opportunity to collaborate and shape the future of health care in Kansas and Missouri.

Registration Fee: $75 per person

When: October 2 & 3

Where: Children’s Mercy Research Institute, 2401 Gillham Road, Kansas City, MO

Click Here to Learn More and Register

Whitepaper: Still Solving Gaps One Tool at a Time? There’s a Better Approach

September 12, 2025

Whitepaper: Still Solving Gaps One Tool at a Time? There’s a Better Approach

Digital fragmentation is stalling care coordination. Clinicians toggle between systems. Pharmacists use different drug references than physicians. Patients receive inconsistent information. And IT leaders are left stitching solutions together – with limited success.

A systemic approach to integrating clinical information across teams can help improve care delivery, team collaboration, and patient outcomes. This whitepaper introduces a systems-thinking framework to unify care delivery around trusted, evidence-based information. Backed by examples from Allina Health, St. Luke’s University Health Network, and more, it shows how integrated guidance at the point of care can reduce errors, align teams, and support patients throughout their health journeys.

For CIOs, CMIOs, and digital transformation leaders, this is more than a fix – it’s a blueprint for sustainable, team-based care.

You’ll Learn:

  • 5 strategies to build out evidence-based, interconnected teams,
  • How health systems are scaling digital tools without overloading staff, and
  • Measurable results – including fewer errors, improved clinician engagement, and increased patient trust.

Click Here to Download Whitepaper

Webinar: Price Transparency isn’t Optional – it’s the New Expectation, September 17

September 12, 2025

Webinar: Price Transparency isn’t Optional – it’s the New Expectation, September 17

Most hospitals want to deliver upfront pricing and clear care navigation, but legacy systems, siloed workflows and inconsistent data standards continue to stand in the way.

The result? Confused patients, missed expectations and compliance risks.

This discussion brings together leaders from across the healthcare ecosystem – including Prisma Health, the National Council for Prescription Drug Programs and DialCare – to unpack what patient-first price transparency looks like in practice. From on-the-ground implementation to national standards and virtual care, these experts offer a 360-degree view of how transparency is evolving and how to keep up.

Key Takeaways:

  • Strategies to integrate clear cost data into provider workflows and patient communication channels,
  • Common implementation barriers and how forward-thinking organizations are clearing them, and
  • How transparency supports interoperability, trust and better clinical outcomes.

Cost: Free

When: Wednesday, September 17, 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

Click Here to Register

Funding Opportunity: Reducing Barriers to Substance Use Disorder Recovery – NGO 2604 – Apply by October 14

September 12, 2025

Funding Opportunity: Reducing Barriers to Substance Use Disorder Recovery – NGO 2604 – Apply by October 14

The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, Division of Administration (Department), is issuing an NGO, Reducing Barriers to Substance Use Disorder Recovery, for the provision of establishing and/or expanding strategies that reduce barriers to accessing recovery supports and services for populations with higher rates of substance use disorders (SUDs), including those who have co-occurring substance use (SU) and mental health (MH) disorders.

  • Projects should be tailored to meet the needs of target populations utilizing data-driven, evidence-based strategies that facilitate recovery and wellness contributing to an improved quality of life for those impacted by SUDs or co-occurring SU and MH disorders.
  • This funding cycle will be Notice of Award through June 30, 2026.
  • If you are interested in submitting a competitive application to provide the needed services for the Department, you may obtain a copy of the NGO document from the Department’s website at: https://health.mo.gov/living/wellness/substance-use/index.php

The NGO 2604 document will be listed on the website https://health.mo.gov/living/wellness/substance-use/funding-opportunities.php. After downloading the entire document, it will also be necessary for you to check the website location periodically until the time of bid closing in order to obtain amendments to the NGO that may be issued later.

In the event you are unable to download the NGO document from the Internet or have questions regarding the NGO. Please contact Nathan Ridenhour at Nathan.Ridenhour@health.mo.gov or by phone at 573 751-6026.

Click Here to obtain a copy of the NGO

Click Here to Download NGO 2604 document and Apply

NRHA Webinar: Turning IT Challenges into Opportunity: How Freestone Medical Center Saved $500K and Expanded Care, September 30

September 9, 2025

NRHA Webinar: Turning IT Challenges into Opportunity: How Freestone Medical Center Saved $500K and Expanded Care, September 30

Many rural hospitals recognize that their IT systems need an upgrade, but they lack the time, staff, or budget to undertake a comprehensive overhaul. This session shares how one rural facility took a phased, strategic approach to modernization, resulting in improved cybersecurity, reduced downtime, and over $500,000 reinvested into expanded care delivery.

You’ll hear from Brian Doerr, a rural IT expert who has helped hospitals in more than 40 states navigate telecom funding, privacy planning, and infrastructure strategy. A frequent speaker at AHA’s Rural Healthcare Leadership Conferences, Brian brings practical, tested advice for rural leaders who need solutions, not more systems.

Participants will:

  • Learn how a phased approach to IT upgrades can minimize disruption and avoid common pitfalls,
  • Understand how to identify and prioritize improvement s that align with rural staffing and budget realities, and
  • See how tracking metrics like downtime, efficiency, and savings can support future planning and reporting.

If you’re responsible for IT decisions and stretched thin on resources, this session offers real-world strategies you can apply now, without adding complexity.

Cost: Free

When: Tuesday, September 30, 1:00 p.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

September 9, 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 clinical 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 sir 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.

This is more than a discussion – it’s a call to protect care access for rural Americans.

Cost: Free

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

Click Here to Register

NRHA Webinar: How to Assess Capital Readiness and Align Your Team for a Successful Project, September 10

September 9, 2025

NRHA Webinar: How to Assess Capital Readiness and Align Your Team for a Successful Project, September 10

Capital projects in rural healthcare come with high stakes – and limited room for missteps. Often, the biggest roadblocks aren’t funding or feasibility. They’re mindset, misalignment, and unclear next steps.

In this session, Brian Haapala – who has spent more than 20 years guiding rural hospitals through successful capital planning – introduces the S.C.O.P.E. method, a practical framework to evaluate readiness, align leadership, and build a plan that’s both strategic and fundable.

You’ll also explore the Capital Planning Styles Matrix to better understand how leadership approaches impact momentum – from early strategy through execution.

Attendees Will Learn How to:

  • Recognize their team’s current capital planning style,
  • Understand how leadership mindset influences progress, and
  • Identify immediate steps to build clarity and alignment.

Whether you’re planning, mid-project, or stalled – this session offers a clear and actionable reset.

Bonus Opportunity:

Attendees can express interest in a late 2025 learning cohort: a focused, multi-week program designed for rural healthcare leaders seeking deeper guidance, peer connection, and real-world tools to strengthen capital project success.

Cost: Free

When: Wednesday, September 10, 1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.

Click Here to Register

Webinar: AI for Healthcare CX: Strategies and Playbooks for Real Transformation, September 16

September 9, 2025

Webinar: AI for Healthcare CX: Strategies and Playbooks for Real Transformation, September 16

Patients are frustrated. Health systems are stretched thin. Regulatory requirements are changing. For many organizations, improving healthcare consumer experience feels impossible under current conditions.

But leaders from Johns Hopkins Healthcare System, Hummingbird Health, and Talkdesk are proving transformation is possible – using AI and automation not to replace people but to support them.

During this live virtual session, Johns Hopkins Health System’s VP of Clinical Systems will discuss how they’re modernizing patient access and streamlining the healthcare consumer experience, delivering better outcomes with greater efficiency.

Learnings Include:

  • How to use AI and automation to unify disconnected access points and reduce friction,
  • What regulatory shifts mean for digital strategy and how health systems can adapt, and
  • Real lessons from John Hopkins on aligning clinical operations with consumer experience goals.

Cost: Free

When: Tuesday, September 16, 1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.

Click Here to Register

GOP Lawmakers Uphold NIH Funding: 5 Federal Health Updates

September 9, 2025

GOP Lawmakers Uphold NIH Funding: 5 Federal Health Updates

The Republican-led House Appropriations Committee has released a spending bill for 2026 that quietly ignores an $18 billion cut to the National Institutes of Health that President Donald Trump proposed earlier this year.

The proposed budget bill, released September 2, calls for $48 billion in NIH funding for fiscal 2026, which would keep funding levels for the agency in line with what it has received in the last few years. The bill stands in opposition to the 40% cut President Trump outlined for the NIH in a budget proposal released in June.

In a fact sheet on the bill, House Appropriations Committee members wrote that providing $48 billion in NIH funding will “maintain America’s edge in basic biomedical research cures to cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, and rare diseases and supports the Trump administration’s priority of increasing research for other chronic diseases impacting Americans.”

The bill, however, does call for a $7 billion budget cut to HHS, which is about 6% less than 2025 levels. It proposes a 19% cut to the CDC “and streamlining 35 duplicative and controversial programs,” positioning the agency to focus solely on infectious disease. It would also eliminate the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. The proposal puts several billion in funding toward primary care, the healthcare workforce and rural health.

Click Here to Read Four More Updates

Whitepaper: RCM at a Crossroads: How 100+ Finance Leaders are Preparing for What’s Next

September 9, 2025

Whitepaper: RCM at a Crossroads: How 100+ Finance Leaders are Preparing for What’s Next

Delayed reimbursements, rising denials and under-resources revenue cycle teams are putting hospital margins at risk.

This report shares insights from 115 finance and RCM leaders on how health systems are upgrading workflows with automation, hybrid staffing models and strategic partnerships to regain control.

Download now to explore the most pressing RCM challenges and see how top performers are building resilient revenue cycles for 2025 and beyond.

You’ll Learn:

  • Why traditional denial management falls short and what high performers do differently,
  • How hybrid RCM staffing models support scalability and reduce burnout, and
  • Automation strategies that drive real ROI – not just added complexity.

Click Here to Download Whitepaper