Rural Spotlight

Webinar: Making the Case for Virtual Nursing: What Leaders Measure and Why, March 23

March 5, 2026

Webinar: Making the Case for Virtual Nursing: What Leaders Measure and Why, March 23

Hybrid nursing programs are gaining momentum but securing alignment across nursing, finance, and operations remains a challenge.

In this webinar, senior healthcare leaders will share how they build the business case for virtual nursing programs and gain buy-in from executive teams and frontline leaders. The discussion will focus on how organizations evaluate vendors objectively, define the right success metrics, and demonstrate ROI beyond virtual nurse productivity alone.

Topics include:

  • Staffing models,
  • Budget neutrality,
  • Qualitative and quantitative performance measures, and
  • How leaders assess impact on bedside workload, RN burnout, and retention.

Attendees will leave with practical guidance on how to frame value, address concerns, and move hybrid nursing initiatives from proposal to approval.

Cost: Free

When: Monday, March 23, 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.

Click Here to Register

On-Demand Webinar: What New Hypertension Thresholds Mean for Pregnancy Care Teams

March 5, 2026

On-Demand Webinar: What New Hypertension Thresholds Mean for Pregnancy Care Teams

Hypertensive disorders remain a leading contributor to maternal morbidity, yet blood pressure management during pregnancy and postpartum care continues to evolve.

The release of the 2025 American heart Association and American College of Cardiology blood pressure guidelines introduces updated thresholds and recommendations that directly affect how clinicians identify risk, monitor patients and plan follow-up care. Without a clear understanding of these changes, care teams may struggle to align practice across obstetrics, nursing and cardiology.

This Becker’s Healthcare webinar addresses these challenges head-on. Featured speakers include maternal-fetal medicine, nursing and cardiovascular research experts from Valley Health System, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, Emory University and University of North Carolina Wilmington.

Key takeaways include:

  • How hypertension definitions and thresholds have evolved,
  • Implications for pregnancy and postpartum blood pressure management,
  • Strategies to strengthen hypertension surveillance across care transitions, and
  • Ways to support long-term maternal cardiovascular health.

Click Here to Access this On-Demand Webinar

On-Demand Webinar: Beyond Basis Points: What Actually Drives ROI in Healthcare Payment Programs

March 5, 2026

On-Demand Webinar: Beyond Basis Points: What Actually Drives ROI in Healthcare Payment Programs

Healthcare finance leaders are being pitched on rebate upside. But many programs underperform not because the math was wrong, but because adoption never materialized.

This session breaks down what drives ROI in B2B payment programs and how leading healthcare finance teams are turning accounts payable into a strategic revenue contributor.

Learnings include:

  • A CFO-ready ROI model that goes beyond basis points and merchant matches,
  • The three supplier acceptance requirements that determine enrollment success, and
  • A sis-by-side comparison of self-service, basic-assisted and full-service support models.

Click Here to Access this On-Demand Webinar

MHA Four-part Series: Scalable Approaches to Meet Patients Nonclinical Needs in Missouri, April 15 – May 27

March 4, 2026

MHA Four-part Series: Scalable Approaches to Meet Patients Nonclinical Needs in Missouri, April 15 – May 27

This four-part virtual series will examine how data and technology related to nonclinical factors that affect an individual’s health – including screening tools, referral platforms and integrated systems – can identify unmet needs and drive targeted interventions.

Participants will explore real-world programs and partnerships that enhance access to care, improve care continuity and strengthen service delivery.

Sessions will focus on how health care systems address nonclinical risk factors through standardized screening, patient-centered communication and closed-loop referrals embedded in clinical practice. Participants will learn how screening data supports care planning, connects patients to community resources and improves follow-up for individuals with complex needs.

Attendees will also gain insight into the Hospital to Housing (H2H) program, which connects individuals experiencing homelessness to stable housing and coordinated services, including its structure, outcomes and sustainability. Additional highlights include hospital partnerships with the Community Action Ride System to address transportation barriers and improve access to care, as well as operational workflows and data-sharing practices. The series also will showcase innovative approaches from the Mid-America Regional Council and MU Extension that integrate strategies related to nonclinical factors that affect an individuals’ health into aging services and rural health initiative, offering practical tools and models for replication.

The series will examine the evolving health care landscape, including Missouri’s Rural Health Transformation Plan and its role in shaping future strategies, community partnerships and technology integration related to nonclinical factors that affect people’s health outcomes.

Cost: Complimentary for all attendees

When: April 15 – May 27, 10:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.

Click Here to Register

MHA Educational Opportunity: Quality Directors Academy, April 14 – May 19

March 4, 2026

MHA Educational Opportunity: Quality Directors Academy, April 14 – May 19

This six-part orientation series is designed for individuals new to hospital-based quality director or quality department roles. Those with less than 18 months of experience will gain the most from participating, though the content also serves as an excellent knowledge refresher for all staff in these positions.

The series includes sessions that equip attendees with practical tools and resources in key areas such as performance improvement, QAPI planning, safety and dashboard benchmarking, quality reporting requirements, regulatory and survey readiness, peer review and credentialing processes, and risk management.

Cost:

  • MHA Members pay $400
  • Nonmembers pay $500

When: April 14 – May 19

Click Here to Learn More and Register

On-Demand Webinar: From Acceleration to Accountability: What Safe, Transparent AI Looks Like in Healthcare

March 4, 2026

On-Demand Webinar: From Acceleration to Accountability: What Safe, Transparent AI Looks Like in Healthcare

Hospitals and payers are integrating AI into workflows faster than ever but with acceleration comes scrutiny.

Patients want transparency. Regulators want guardrails. And health system leaders are asking: how do we ensure AI is safe?

In this session, URAC and members of its Health Care AI accreditation Committee share insights on how health systems and payers are using AI today and where risks are rising.

Watch to learn:

  • The patient-provider implications of AI disclosures, data bias and decision-making,
  • The hidden risks of undisclosed AI in patient care and operations, and
  • Why accreditation is emerging as a signal of quality, trust and governance.

Click Here to Access this On-Demand Webinar

Webinar: Practical Guidance for Predictive Flow: How University Health is Improving ED + Inpatient Throughput, March 11

March 4, 2026

Webinar: Practical Guidance for Predictive Flow: How University Health is Improving ED + Inpatient Throughput, March 11

Emergency departments often set the pace for the entire hospital. When admitted patients board for hours, the downstream effects strain staffing, delay discharges and erode capacity. University Health is addressing this challenge by strengthening the connection between ED operations and inpatient flow using real-time and predictive intelligence layered on its EHR.

In this 30-minute session, leaders from University Health share how the organization is evolving its approach to ED and inpatient throughput – moving beyond reactive bed management toward more predictable daily operations.

Attendees will hear how early signals from the ED now help inpatient teams plan placement sooner, run more focused huddles and align staffing to anticipated demand before units reach capacity.

Insights include:

  • Why ED flow is a critical lever for unlocking inpatient capacity,
  • How early ED visibility supports better admission and discharge planning,
  • How predictive insights improve staffing decisions and huddle routines, and
  • What effective operations – IT collaboration looks like in practice.

Cost: Free

When: Wednesday, March 11, 1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.

Click Here to Register

Training Opportunity: Transforming Early Child Care in Your Community Boot Camp, Starts April 29

March 4, 2026

Training Opportunity: Transforming Early Child Care in Your Community Boot Camp, Starts April 29

This course will take early childcare stakeholders through the Community Change process. The Community Change process involves 5 phases: assessment, planning, acting, evaluating, sustaining. The course will explore each of these phases in terms of early childcare. This highly interactive series consists of 8 virtual sessions, peer to peer learning and a final project. The final project will be built along the way.

Participants should expect to spend 2 hours in each session and 1 hour between sessions each week. Participants must commit to attend at least 7 out of 8 of the classes and the completion of a final project. Individuals will earn a certificate of completion. This class is open to anyone in the North Central Region (IA, IL, IN, KS, MN, MI, MO, OH, ND, NE, SD, WI), but is highly recommended for:

  • Business Leaders,
  • Economic Developers,
  • Extension Professionals,
  • Child Care Directors,
  • Child Care Educators,
  • Child Care Community Advocates,
  • Civic Leaders and Employers

Class Schedule:

Classes meet Wednesdays from 12:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.

  • April 29 – Introduction to Early Child Care Data
  • May 6 – Understanding Your Community’s Early Child Care Story
  • May 13 – Creating Your Community’s Report Card
  • May 20 – Leveraging Community Assets to Lead Early Child Care Change
  • May 27 – Introduction to Collective Impact for Early Child Care Change
  • June 3 – Introduction to Ripple Effects Mapping for Early Child Care
  • June 10 – Becoming An Early Child Care Advocate in the U.S.
  • June 17 – NO CLASS/WORK ON FINAL PROJECT
  • June 24 – Class Final Project Showcase

Cost: Free

This project is made possible through a fellowship grant from the North Central Regional Center for Rural Development (NCRCRD).

Click Here to Register

2026 Hospital IQR Program Resources

March 4, 2026

2026 Hospital IQR Program Resources

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and Inpatient and Outpatient Healthcare Quality Systems Development and Program Support has announce that calendar year 2026 Hospital IQR Program resources are now available.

These resources are available on the QualityNet and/or Quality Reporting Center webpages as noted below:

Hospital IQR Program Measures – Click Here to access these guides:

  • Hospital IQR Program Measures
    • Lists the measures included in the Hospital IQR Program, the data source, where data are submitted, and a link to the measure specification.
  • Acute Care Hospital Quality Improvement Program Measures
    • Lists the measures in the Hospital Quality Reporting programs and the measurement period, including publicly reported measures.

Web-Based Data Collection – click Here to access these guides:

  • Hospital IQR Program Quick Reference Guide: Fiscal Year 2027 Web-Based Measures
    • Provides guidance and helpful tips to submit the Maternal morbidity, Age Friendly Hospital, and Patient Safety Structural measures and the Data Accuracy and Completeness Acknowledgement

The guides listed below provide information and examples to assist and support hospital responses to the statements included in each of the measures.

  • Attestation Guide for the Maternal Morbidity Structural Measure
  • Patient Safety Structural Measure Specifications and Attestation Guide
  • Age Friendly Hospital Measure Specifications and Attestation Guide

Participation Guides – Click Here to access these guides:

  • Hospital IQR Program Guide
    • Outlines the Hospital IQR Program participation requirements, including validation, and information about measures, data submission, and public reporting.
  • Important Dates and Deadlines
    • Provides the upcoming submission deadlines

Notice of Participation – Click Here to access these guides:

  • Notice of Participation (NOP) Quick Reference Guide
    • Explains the NOP requirement and how to complete the form

Resources – Click Here to access these guides:

  • Hospital IQR Program: Summary of Fiscal Year 2026 Inpatient Prospective Payment System (IPPS) Final Rule Changes
    • Provides a high-level overview of the proposed changes that were finalized in the final year 2026 IPPS final rule

Tools and Resources – Click Here to access these guides:

  • Submission Requirements and Accessing and Using Your Provider Participation Report (PPR)
    • Provides step-by-step guidance on how to access and navigate through the Hospital IQR Program submissions dashboard and the PPR
  • Quick Support Reference Card
    • Provides the different resources that are available for the Hospital IQR Program
  • CMS Quality Reporting & Payment Programs Overview
    • Provides a high-level summary of the different CMS Hospital Quality Reporting and Pay-for-Performance Programs

For assistance regarding this information, please contact Inpatient and Outpatient Healthcare Quality Systems Development and Program Support at: https://cmsqualitysupport.servicenowservices.com/qnet_qa?id=ask_a_question

 

 

MRHA Webinar: Missouri Psychiatry Consultation Programs, May 21

March 4, 2026

MRHA Webinar: Missouri Psychiatry Consultation Programs, May 21

Join the Missouri Rural Health Association (MRHA) for an informative session on Missouri’s psychiatry consultation programs designed to expand access to mental health care for children, adolescents, and perinatal individuals.

This webinar will explore the mental health challenges commonly faced by pediatric and perinatal populations and offer a clear overview of the services provided through the Missouri Child Psychiatry Access Project (MO-CPAP) and the Maternal Health Access Project (MHAP). Participants will learn when and how to refer patients, what support these programs can offer, and how they help bridge gaps in mental health access across Missouri.

Target Audience:

Providers serving pediatric and perinatal patients with mental health needs.

Cost: Free

When: Thursday, May 21, 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.

Click Here to Register