Rural Spotlight

The Effects of More Than 1 Million Losing Medicaid Coverage

June 30, 2023

The Effects of More Than 1 Million Losing Medicaid Coverage

About 1.5 million Americans have lost Medicaid coverage in more than two dozen states, and hospitals are beginning to see the financial effects of caring for more uninsured patients. Additionally, site-neutral payment has forced physicians, patient advocates, and hospitals and health systems to take sides in the debate over Medicare reimbursement rates based on location of care, and a new report shows that approximately a quarter of residents in 18 states struggle with medical debt.

Register for the NRHA Rural Health Clinic and Critical Access Hospital Conferences, September 26-29, to explore how we can ensure we can care for patients and the bottom line with experts at NRHA’s Rural Health Clinic and Critical Access Hospital Conferences Sept. 26-29 in Kansas City.

CMS: What’s in a Medicare Cost Report?

June 30, 2023

CMS maintains the cost report data in the Healthcare Provider Cost Reporting Information System (HCRIS). The cost report contains provider information such as facility characteristics, utilization data, cost and charges by cost center (in total and for Medicare), Medicare settlement data, and financial statement data.

Medicare-certified institutional (Medicare Part A) providers are required to submit an annual cost report to a Medicare Administrative Contractor (MAC).

CMS released updated Medicare cost report instructions for acute care hospitals at the end of 2022. The revised instructions are effective for cost reporting periods that began on or after Oct. 1, 2022.

Have cost report questions? Attend live training sponsored by the American Institute of Healthcare Compliance on October 24-25, 2023 in Dallas, Texas.

Download the information packet,

register online (seating is limited).

Webinar – Swing Bed Culture and attention to Wellness Vital to Rural Healthcare, A Transitional Care Model

June 30, 2023

Webinar – Swing Bed Culture and attention to Wellness Vital to Rural Healthcare, A Transitional Care Model

Allevant, a joint venture between Mayo Clinic and Select Medical, helps Critical Access Hospitals by developing post-acute Transitional Care programs using available Swing Beds. Focused on helping patients transition to their highest level of independence, Transitional Care is a program that involves the patient and family, makes available the full resources of the Critical Access Hospital and focuses on measured outcomes and evidence-based processes to ensure patients get the best care possible.

Allevant has supported approximately 100 Critical Access Hospitals across 22 states including both independent and part of health systems. Our clients have cared for over 12,000 patients representing more than 158,000 swing bed days.

With a strong focus on quality, outcomes, and growth, our clients saw an average growth in swing bed days of 55% by the second year. 64% of patients were categorized as complex medical or complex surgical which is a growing patient population, and only 7% of Transitional Care patients were discharged directly back to acute care during a program stay of less than 30 days. 76% of patients were discharged from Transitional Care back to independence. The average patient rating was 4.83 out of 5 when asked if patients would “recommend the program to others”.

When: Thursday, July 27, 1:00 – 2:00 pm CST

Register Here

Webinar – Unlocking Value-Based Care: the Critical Role of Team-Based Care

June 30, 2023

Webinar – Unlocking Value-Based Care: the Critical Role of Team-Based Care

Join this exclusive webinar to discover the power of team-based care in rural healthcare. Our expert speakers include Fred Wallisch, Signify Health’s VP and ACO Medical Director, who specializes in clinical oversight, utilization goal setting, and innovative strategies for improved patient care. Catherine Chua, Chief Medical Officer at Davis Health System, West Virginia, with extensive experience in Osteopathic Family Medicine and Integrative Medicine, will provide insights into rural healthcare and patient-centered approaches, and Dr. Steven Reeves, Internal Medicine specialist from Greater Regional Health, will offer practical knowledge on the positive impact of team-based care on provider morale, retention, and buy-in.

Learning Objectives:

  • Understand the role of team-based care in meeting value-based care requirements.
  • Discover how a standardized approach improves annual wellness visit rates, chronic care management, and clinical documentation.
  • Explore the benefits of team-based care for provider morale, retention, and buy-in.

When: Wednesday, July 25, 2:00 – 3:00 pm CST

Click Here to join this concise and informative webinar to enhance healthcare delivery in your rural health organization.

Webinar – Addressing Patient Surges and Rising Costs in Rural Healthcare

June 30, 2023

Webinar – Addressing Patient Surges and Rising Costs in Rural Healthcare

Discover the transformative power of telemedicine in rural healthcare and hear firsthand experiences from AdventHealth Murray Medical Center and AdventHealth Gordon as they share how telemedicine revolutionized their operations, improving sustainability and community service despite fiscal challenges.

Join Jason Povio, President and COO of Eagle Telemedicine, and Dr. Joseph Joyave, CMO and Medical Director for AdventHealth Medical Group, as they discuss their successful strategies. Povio, with his diverse background in systems engineering and healthcare, and Dr. Joyave, a practicing pediatrician and administrative leader, bring valuable perspectives from their unique professional journeys.

During this webinar, you will learn how telemedicine can mitigate fiscal and operational challenges in rural healthcare settings, strategies to reduce patient transfer rates, and address specialty physician gaps using telemedicine. Gain insight into leveraging telemedicine for cost-effective recruitment and round-the-clock patient care.

When: Wednesday, July 19, 2:00 – 3:00 pm CST

Register Here

Learning Opportunity for Rural Hospital CMOs

June 30, 2023

Learning Opportunity for Rural Hospital CMOs

Physician leaders can make an incredible contribution to the success of a rural hospital. NRHA is proud to announce the launch of the Rural Hospital CMO Certification Program. This program is for rural hospital CMOs, created by rural hospital CMOs. With the input of those with first-hand rural CMO experience, this program is pragmatic, efficient, and designed to make an impact.

Program Structure:

  • Online, self-guided learning coupled with scheduled Zoom meetings
  • Time Commitment: Approximately 1 -1.5 hours per week
  • Tuition: $8,900

Topics Covered:

  • Leadership
    • Intra-personal Leadership
    • Inter-personal Leadership
    • Organizational Leadership
    • Community leadership
    • Negotiating
  • Operations
    • Regulatory Compliance
    • Data Analytics & Predictive Analysis
    • Working with your Board
  • Finance
    • Fee for Service
    • Population Health
    • Budgeting for Clinicians
    • Cost Report 101
  • Clinical/Quality
    • Physician/Patient Outcomes
    • Physician/Providers
    • Quality
    • Physician Engagement
    • Non-clinical leader Engagement
    • Nursing Engagement

NRHA’s Rural Hospital CMO Certification Program kicks off on July 19th. To learn more, visit https://www.crhleadership.com/rh-cmo

Apply Now

EMS Missouri Conference and Expo

June 30, 2023

EMS Missouri Conference and Expo

You are invited to attend the EMS Missouri Conference and Expo following the Mobile Integrated Healthcare (MIH) Summit. Join representatives from EMS, MIH, CP backgrounds, policy makers, payers, hospitals, rural health clinics, FQHCs, federal offices, state offices and more.

Major Areas of Focus:

  • SUD/OUD/BH/CIT
  • Data, Patient Outcomes and Continuous Quality Improvement
  • An All Hazards Risk Reduction Approach to Prevention
  • Chronic Disease Management
  • Daily Management & Lessons Learned from the “Boots on the Ground”
  • Partnerships & Funding Streams
  • Health Equity

When: August 1 – 3

Where: St. Charles Convention Center, St. Charles, MO

To register scan the QR Code:

OR

Click here to register online:

 

Registration is Open for the CityMatCH Maternal and Child Health Leadership Conference

June 30, 2023

Registration is Open for the CityMatCH Maternal and Child Health Leadership Conference

Join HRSA in New Orleans for the annual CityMatCH Maternal and Child Health Leadership Conference Reconnecting and Transforming MCH: A Journey of Healing, Rebirth and Growth.

CityMatCH will host three pre-conference sessions on Tuesday, September 19 (registration is required for these sessions as space is limited to 75 participants per session.

Pre-Conference Sessions:

  • Social Epidemiologic Measurement and Methods for Maternal and Child Health Equity
  • Advancing Reproductive Health, Rights, & Justice: Making a Local Impact
  • A Roadmap: Integrating Environmental Justice & Maternal and Infant Health for Equitable Outcomes

Register for pre-conference sessions by selecting which one you plan to attend within your registration form

CityMatCH is a national membership organization of city and county health departments’ maternal and child health (MCH) programs and leaders representing urban communities in the United States. CityMatCH’s mission is to strengthen public health leaders and organizations to promote equity and improve the health of urban women, families, and communities.

When: September 20 – 22, 2023

Where: New Orleans, LA

Earlybird registration ends July 14, 2023.

Register Now

 

Webinar: Overview of the 2023-2025 HRSA Strategy to Address Intimate Partner Violence (IPV)

June 30, 2023

Webinar: Overview of the 2023-2025 HRSA Strategy to Address Intimate Partner Violence (IPV)

Join the HRSA Office of Women’s Health (OWH), the Bureau of Primary Health Care, and the HIV/AIDS Bureau for an upcoming webinar.

Attendees will learn about the 2023-2025 HRSA Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) Strategy’s aims, objectives, and activities for HRSA bureaus and offices to prevent and respond to IPV. Download the Strategy from the OWH IPV webpage.

When: July 12, 1:00 – 2:00 p.m. ET

Register Now

Top 5 FAQs – Nurse Education, Practice, Quality and Retention (NEPQR) – Simulation Education Training (SET) Program (HRSA-23-129)

June 30, 2023

Top 5 FAQs – Nurse Education, Practice, Quality and Retention (NEPQR) – Simulation Education Training (SET) Program (HRSA-23-129)

The Health Resources Services Administration has provided the top 5 frequently asked questions related to the Nurse Education, Practice, Quality and Retention (NEPQR) Simulation Education Training (SET) Program (HRSA-23-120).

Q1: Can current SET grantees apply to this Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO)?

A:  Yes. Current NEPQR-SET grantees may apply. However, note the changes and requirements of the current NOFO. Your application must reflect the noted goals, objectives, and requirements.

Q2: Do interprofessional collaborative agreements have to be currently established or can they be established as part of this project?

A:   Any academic, practice, and community partnerships may be established or enhanced with the funding of this program. The applicant should provide any documents that describe working relationships via a letter of commitment/letter of support between the applicant organization and other entities and programs cited in the proposal.

Q3: Can students from other disciplines (PT, OT, PA, MD etc.) participate in the simulation activities funded by this grant if it is in an interprofessional setting with nursing students?

A:   Yes. Simulation based training must include collaborative interprofessional team based care.

Q4: Is application eligibility limited to programs with national accreditation or is approval from our state Board of Nursing sufficient?

A:   Schools of nursing must be accredited by a recognized body or by a state agency approved by the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Education.

Q5: Are two-year associate degree nursing programs and diploma programs eligible?

A:   Eligible applicants include:

    • Accredited schools of nursing
    • Health care facilities, including federally qualified health centers or nurse managed health centers
    • A partnership of such a school and facility

In addition:

    • Domestic community-based organizations, tribes, and tribal organizations are also eligible to apply if otherwise eligible.
    • Diploma school of nursing affiliated with a hospital or university, or an independent school, which provides primarily or exclusively a program of education in professional nursing and allied subjects leading to a diploma or to equivalent are eligible, only if such program, or such affiliated school or such hospital or university or such independent school is accredited.
    • For profit entities are NOT eligible.

More questions?
Check out the full list of FAQs and Technical Assistance Webinar recording.

Applications accepted until 11:59 p.n. ET on July 3, 2023