Rural Spotlight

MRHA Webinar: Human Trafficking & Exploitation, January 15

January 5, 2026

MRHA Webinar: Human Trafficking & Exploitation, January 15

Human trafficking affects communities across Missouri including rural areas where awareness and resources may be limited. This introductory session provides participants with a foundational understanding of human trafficking and exploitation through a trauma-informed, survivor-centered lens.

Attendees will learn to define both sex and labor trafficking, recognize common indicators, and identify barriers that prevent detection and reporting. The training will also dispel common misconceptions about trafficking and explore the demographics and prevalence of survivors in Missouri and beyond.

Target Audience:

Anyone with an interest in serving survivors in rural areas.

Cost: Free

When: Thursday, January 15, 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.

Click Here to Register

Whitepaper: A Guide for Evaluating the Impact of Ambient AI on Clinicians

January 5, 2026

Whitepaper: A Guide for Evaluating the Impact of Ambient AI on Clinicians

A first of its kind, peer-reviewed study published in JAMA Network Open provides compelling evidence for what anecdotal reports previously suggested: ambient AI not only reduces documentation burden – it improves clinician well-being.

Led by Yale School of Medicine and conducted across six health systems, the study used a validated survey tool to measure cognitive load, burnout and patient-centered care. Results showed:

  • 25% drop in burnout,
  • 37% reduction in cognitive load, and
  • 31% rise in attention given directly to patients.

This guide explains the study’s design, the Abridge Clinician Survey methodology and how hospitals can apply similar research to evaluate AI’s real-world impact.

What’s Inside:

  • Summary of findings from Yale’s ambient AI study,
  • Explanation of key clinical metrics used to assess effectiveness, and
  • A blueprint for running additional studies.

Click Here to Download Whitepaper

Article: Notable Healthcare Policies Taking Effect in 2026

January 5, 2026

Article: Notable Healthcare Policies Taking Effect in 2026

A wave of federal and state healthcare policies is set to take effect in 2026, bringing major changes to hospital operations, reimbursement, insurance markets and patient access.

From the expiration of enhanced ACA subsidies to CMS’ expansion of site-neutral payments, tightened prior authorization rules and the first round of Medicare Drug negotiations, 2026 will test how well the healthcare sector adapts to a fast-shifting regulatory landscape under the Trump administration.

Simultaneously, state governments are rolling out new mandates – from insulin copay caps and AI guardrails to expanded coverage requirements and immigrant protections – that will have a notable effect on hospitals, payers and patients in certain markets.

Click Here to Read Full Article

Whitepaper: How 75 Hospital Leaders are Rethinking the Patient Room

January 5, 2026

Whitepaper: How 75 Hospital Leaders are Rethinking the Patient Room

Patient rooms are being reimagined – not just in layout, but in how technology supports communication, safety and connection.

In a recent Becker’s Zoom, and HP survey of 75 hospital and health system leaders including C-suite executives, medical directors, and nursing and technology leaders, one theme stood out: outdated, fragmented tech is undermining care delivery and clinician satisfaction.

But some organizations are moving fast to fix it.

This report reveals what leaders are prioritizing (think: virtual nursing, discharge workflows supported by in-room video) and where critical infrastructure gaps remain.

Inside, you’ll learn:

  • Why just 1 in 3 rooms is fully equipped for modern communication and what’s driving change,
  • How Blessing Health System outfitted 150 room to support virtual visits, discharge planning and patient education, and
  • What investments are top of mind as health systems build the patient room of the future.

Click Here to Download the Whitepaper

On-Demand Webinar: From Claims Chaos to Clean: How Top Practices are Fixing RCM Friction

January 5, 2026

On-Demand Webinar: From Claims Chaos to Clean: How Top Practices are Fixing RCM Friction

Revenue cycle inefficiencies don’t always stem from tech itself. Often, RCM friction stems from how technology is used. Practices with strong EHRs still face persistent challenges: inconsistent revenue, slow payment cycles and rising burnout tied to manual workarounds.

This on-demand webinar explores how practices using ModMed have improved clean claims rates to 98% – and what other groups can learn from their playbook.

You’ll hear firsthand how to tighten up billing processes, reduce administrative load and strengthen financial outcomes without major system changes.

Key takeaways:

  • Strategies that helped practices boost claim accuracy and reduce denials,
  • Steps to shorten the reimbursement cycle and reduce days in A/R, and
  • Lessons on scaling efficiency without adding staff.

Click Here to Access this On-Demand Webinar

Webinar: From Daily Engagement to Year-Round Gains: Turning RPM and PERS Data into Quality Wins, January 15

January 5, 2026

Webinar: From Daily Engagement to Year-Round Gains: Turning RPM and PERS Data into Quality Wins, January 15

2025 brought a sharp decline in 4-star contracts and higher cut points across key HEDIS and CAHPS measures, shrinking bonus pools and raising pressure on health plan leaders.

Join health plan executives to explore how real-time data from Remote Patient Monitoring (RPM) and Personal Emergency Response System (PERS) can drive measurable improvement in adherence, preventive screenings and member experience.

What you’ll learn:

  • Which measures shifted in 2025, and which are still within reach,
  • How RPM and PERS data fuel targeted interventions with measurable impact, and
  • Real-world tactics for turning daily engagement into year-round quality gains.

Cost: Free

When: Thursday, January 15, 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.

Click Here to Register

Webinar: How Physician Leaders are Reshaping Surgical Ops: Lessons from WakeMed, Lee Health + More, January 28

January 5, 2026

Webinar: How Physician Leaders are Reshaping Surgical Ops: Lessons from WakeMed, Lee Health + More, January 28

OR inefficiencies are a known drain on resources – but many hospitals still struggle to drive sustainable change.

In this live panel, physician executives from WakeMed, Lee Health and Cone Health share what it really takes to transform surgical services and achieve lasting operational gains.

They’ll discuss how their organizations are tackling entrenched issues in perioperative resource management – from underused block time to poor throughput and OR delays – and how they’re using technology, governance and change management strategies to improve coordination and capacity.

Insights Include:

  • How to optimize surgical operations through better resource allocation
  • The governance models enabling physician-led change and measurable OR performance improvement, and
  • Real world approaches to reducing delays, improving throughput and increasing block utilization.

Cost: Free

When: Wednesday, January 28, 1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.

Click Here to Register

Webinar: North Mississippi Health Services’ virtual Nursing Model Returns 600 Hours Each Month, January 28

January 5, 2026

Webinar: North Mississippi Health Services’ virtual Nursing Model Returns 600 Hours Each Month, January 28

At NMHS, virtual nursing is an enterprise-wide model serving a 400-bed flagship hospital and seven community hospitals. With virtual nurses completing 90% of discharges and 70% of admissions, NMHS has proven what’s possible when digital care is built for frontline support.

In this webinar, the NMHS team will share how they operationalize virtual nursing to ease workload, strengthen retention and improve safety and performance metrics across the system.

What you’ll learn:

  • How NMHS structured staffing, governance and workflows to drive adoption,
  • Where virtual nursing delivered the greatest impact on throughput and staff satisfaction, and
  • The KPIs and communication tactics used to demonstrate systemwide ROI

Cost: Free

When: Wednesday, January 28, 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.

Click Here to Register

NIH/NIAAA Healthcare Professional’s Core Resource on Alcohol

January 2, 2026

NIH/NIAAA Healthcare Professional’s Core Resource on Alcohol

Alcohol contributes to more than 200 chronic and acute health conditions and about 178,000 deaths in the U.S. every year. Yet, alcohol-related risks often go unaddressed in healthcare settings. The Core Resource on Alcohol equips healthcare professionals to better recognize alcohol’s impact on patient health and respond with informed, effective care.

  • Explore 14 concise articles covering basic science, screening, brief intervention, co-occurring conditions, treatment options, and more.
  • Earn FREE EME or CE credit for as few or as many articles as you wish – available for physicians, physician assistants, nurses, psychologists, social workers, and pharmacists.
  • Overcome common barriers to care – including training gaps, time constraints, and stigma – to improve patient outcomes.

Explore the Core Resource: www.niaaa.nih.gov/CoreResource

New CMS Model: MAHA ELEVATE – Coming in Early 2026

January 2, 2026

New CMS Model: MAHA ELEVATE – Coming in Early 2026

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) through the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMMI) announced a new payment model titled Make America Healthy Again: Enhancing Lifestyle and evaluating Value-based Approaches Through Evidence (MAHA ELEVATE). The model aims to support chronic disease initiatives for fee-for-service Medicare beneficiaries.

A total of $100 million dollars will fund up to 30 proposals for three years. The proposals will include evidence-based whole-person care approaches currently not covered by original Medicare.

CMMI will release a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) in early 2026 for the first cohort, and the voluntary model will launch on September 1, 2o26.

Click Here to Learn More