Rural issues

Rural issues / en Fri, 25 Apr 2025 21:24:22 -0500 Fri, 18 Apr 25 14:25:40 -0500 2026 AHA Rural Health Care Leadership Conference /education-events/2026-aha-rural-health-care-leadership-conference The 2026 AHA Rural Health Care Leadership Conference, February 8-11 in San Antonio, will gather more than 1,000 rural health leaders committed to advancing rural health and providing quality care for patients and communities. The conference will feature top rural practitioners sharing actionable strategies and resources aimed at improving access to care, leveraging unique workforce approaches and implementing digital technologies.We will explore the most significant challenges facing rural health care providers and present innovative approaches to transform care delivery and business practices.Objectives</h3> Participants will: <ul> <li>Develop strategies for a more sustainable and flexible rural health care workforce.</li> <li>Learn innovative approaches to improve quality, patient safety and performance in rural health care to enhance patient satisfaction, increase efficiency and reduce costs.</li> <li>Develop robust emergency response and cybersecurity plans to safeguard rural health care systems and patient data.</li> <li>Explore innovative value-based care and advanced payment models aimed at enhancing health care efficiency and effectiveness, specifically designed to align with the unique needs of rural health care systems. </li> <li>Address treatment disparities and enhance access and outcomes in behavioral health, maternal care, and specialty services, promoting equity and eliminating disparities.</li> <li>Advance community and population health and economic development in rural areas through collaborative efforts between health care organizations, public health agencies and community stakeholders.</li> <li>Share inventive approaches to mergers, joint ventures and affiliations to help improve organizational effectiveness, financial stability and clinical outcomes. </li> <li>Learn best practices for the adoption of cutting-edge health care technology and artificial intelligence by exploring the latest advancements to enhance patient care, diagnosis and treatment.</li> </ul>--&gt;Interested in receiving complimentary registration? Consider our Hosted Buyer Forum to connect with high-quality solutions providers</h3> The Hosted Buyer Forum offers a private showcase for hospital and health system leaders interested in connecting with solution providers addressing key hospital issues. Approved applicants are given complimentary registration to the 2025 AHA Rural Health Care Leadership Conference. After the Forum is complete participants are encouraged to join the Associate and Sponsor Reception for beverages, appetizers and networking. <a href="https://ruralconference.aha.org/program/hosted-buyer?utm_source=aha&amp;utm_medium=weblisting&amp;utm_campaign=2025-Rural-Registration" target="_blank">Learn More!</a>--&gt;<h3>Who Should Attend:</h3><ul><li>Rural Hospital CEOs, Administrators, Senior Executives and System Leaders</li><li>Governing Board Members</li><li>Nursing and Physician Executives</li><li>Public Health and Community Leaders</li><li>Executives of Rural Health Care Associations, Networks and Clinics</li></ul><h3>Call for Speakers</h3>The Call for Speakers for the 2026 AHA Rural Health Care Leadership Conference will open Thursday, May 1, 2025. <a href="https://ruralconference.aha.org/program/speaking-opportunities" target="_blank">Learn more!</a><h3>Date</h3>February 8-11, 2026Additional information on the conference is available on the <a href="https://ruralconference.aha.org?utm_source=aha&amp;utm_medium=weblisting&amp;utm_campaign=2026-Rural-Registration" target="_blank">AHA Rural Health Care Leadership Conference website.</a><h3>Interested in Sponsorship</h3>Sponsorship enables you to partner with the most trusted name in health care to reach a highly-targeted, senior-level health care audience. <a href="https://ruralconference.aha.org/sponsorship/sponsorship-opportunities?utm_source=aha&amp;utm_medium=weblisting&amp;utm_campaign=2026-Rural-Registration" target="_blank">Learn more about our available opportunities.</a> Fri, 18 Apr 2025 14:25:40 -0500 Rural issues A rural Louisiana hospital works to improve early sepsis detection /role-hospitals-our-lady-lake-ascension-works-improve-early-sepsis-detection <div class="container"><div class="row"><div class="col-md-9"><div class="col-md-6"><img src="/sites/default/files/2025-04/ths-lady-of-lake-ascension-sepsis-700x532.jpg" data-entity-uuid data-entity-type="file" alt="Our Lady of the Lake Ascension. Composite image shows a physician in white coat typing on a laptop, overlaid with futuristic tech symbols." width="700" height="532"></div>At Our Lady of the Lake Ascension, a community hospital in Gonzales, La., that’s part of the Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady Health System (FMOLHS), a groundbreaking technology is making waves in sepsis detection. The hospital has recently implemented the only Food and Drug Administration-cleared sepsis test, IntelliSep, a blood test that can detect sepsis in its early stages. Test results are available in under 10 minutes, allowing health care providers to act swiftly. "Early detection is a matter of life and death," said Chuck Spicer, president of Our Lady of the Lake Ascension.The new sepsis test has already shown promising results. In its first year of use, the hospital reported a 30% reduction in mortality among septic patients, due to being able to diagnose and treat the infection more quickly. The hospital's emergency department, which sees a high volume of critically ill patients, has integrated the test into its routine workflows, ensuring that every patient suspected of sepsis is tested promptly. FMOLHS is one of only two health systems using the test.The impact extends beyond patient outcomes. By reducing the time spent in the hospital and minimizing unnecessary patient transfers, the technology also helps lower medical costs and improve overall health care delivery for patients. "The addition of a proven, innovative technology gives us an accurate tool for ensuring our patients receive the most appropriate treatments locally," Spicer added.<a class="btn btn-primary" href="https://www.fmolhs.org/news/our-lady-of-the-lake-ascension-implements-new-life-saving-technology-in-emergency-department" target="_blank">LEARN MORE</a>&nbsp;</div><div class="col-md-3"><div><h4>Resources on the Role of Hospitals</h4><ul><li><a href="/topics/innovation">Innovation, Research and Quality Improvement</a></li><li><a href="/roleofhospitals">All Case Studies</a></li></ul></div></div></div></div> Thu, 10 Apr 2025 14:22:48 -0500 Rural issues Rural Health Update February 2025 <div class="container"><div class="row"><div class="col-md-8"><img src="/sites/default/files/inline-images/aha-logo-small-header.png" data-entity-uuid="0a3f954c-34fd-4faa-8f13-d31245d1d41f" data-entity-type="file" alt="Small AHA Logo Header" width="128" height="48" class="align-center"><img src="/sites/default/files/inline-images/rural-health-icon_1.jpg" data-entity-uuid="248e96f2-a7da-403f-835e-93ccca7b07d7" data-entity-type="file" alt="Rural Health Image" width="600" height="45" class="align-center"><h2 class="text-align-center">NEWS UPDATE</h2>February 2025Your guide to the latest rural health news and resourcesThe following is a compilation of recent news from the AHA and the Rural Health Services team, whose focus is to ensure rural hospitals’ and health systems’ unique needs are national priorities.<img src="/sites/default/files/inline-images/image_9.png" data-entity-uuid="ccd6cbce-9947-4c0f-9732-6c6052160b3d" data-entity-type="file" alt="AHA Rural Advocacy Alliance Logo" width="571" height="84">&nbsp;Report from the 2025 AHA Rural Health Care Leadership Conference The 2025 AHA Rural Health Care Leadership Conference took place Feb. 23-26 in San Antonio. More than 1,200 rural heath leaders committed to advancing rural health and providing quality care for patients and communities gathered to share actionable strategies and resources aimed at improving access to care, leveraging unique workforce approaches, implementing digital technologies and prioritizing health equity.In his&nbsp;<a href="/news/headline/2025-02-24-pollack-kicks-conference-aha-board-chair-shares-vision-future-rural-health-care" target="_blank" title="AHA President Welcome Remarks">welcoming remark</a><a href="/news/headline/2025-02-24-pollack-kicks-conference-aha-board-chair-shares-vision-future-rural-health-care">s</a>, AHA President and CEO Rick Pollack discussed some of the immediate threats to rural hospitals’ well-being due to possible federal budget cuts to Medicaid, the 340B program and site-neutral payment policies.&nbsp; He said, “With so much at stake in the coming weeks and months, it is vital that we continue to face health care challenges together, speaking as one voice to protect the blue and white ‘H’ that is a beacon of hope in every community across the nation.” Tina Freese Decker, president and CEO of Corewell Health in Grand Rapids, Mich., and chair of the AHA Board of Trustees, echoed Pollack’s message of determination and dedication. “We know we can do hard things,” she said. “No matter what happens, we are all in ... because we know our neighbors are counting on us to be there.”Other sessions included an&nbsp;<a href="/news/headline/2025-02-25-aha-rural-advocacy-agenda">update on the latest news from Capitol Hill</a> and a panel discussion on the growing impact of certain&nbsp;<a href="/news/headline/2025-02-25-navigating-impact-growing-medicare-advantage-program-rural-hospitals">Medicare Advantage programs on rural hospitals</a>.Susan Doherty, the AHA’s vice president of field engagement, delivered remarks before the&nbsp;<a href="/news/headline/2025-02-26-2025-aha-rural-health-care-leadership-conference-day-three-roundup">closing session</a>. “Rural health care is not just a profession; it is a calling,” she said. “It is about ensuring that no matter where someone lives, they have access to the quality care they deserve. The mission is not easy, but it is incredibly rewarding.”Register for full access to AHA resources AHA members have access to a wealth of information developed exclusively for their benefit. Accessing members-only content requires registering for an account on&nbsp;<a href="/system/files/media/file/2025/02/How-to-Stay-Informed-and-Get-Connected.pdf">AHA.org</a>.AHA releases 2025 Rural Advocacy Agenda The AHA released its&nbsp;<a href="/rural-advocacy-agenda">2025 Rural Advocacy Agenda</a>, detailing the associations key priorities on behalf of rural hospitals for Congress, the administration, regulatory agencies and courts.Budget reconciliation 101 – fact sheet and video This year, House and Senate Republicans are expected to use the&nbsp;<a href="/fact-sheets/2025-02-07-fact-sheet-budget-reconciliation-101">budget reconciliation process</a> to attempt to pass key agenda items on taxes, energy and border security, and they may look to health measures to pay for this legislation. Reconciliation is a complicated budget tool that gives Congress a fast-track mechanism to avoid the Senate filibuster and pass partisan legislation.Do you know the steps of the reconciliation process? Or the provisions of the Byrd rule? Watch&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uVv3BlL8jwE&amp;t=54s">this video</a> to learn the ins and outs of this quickly moving budgetary process.Call to action: Contact your lawmakers and urge them to extend key health care policiesThis&nbsp;<a href="/action-alert/2025-02-07-contact-your-lawmakers-and-urge-them-extend-key-health-care-policies-set-expire-next-month">Action Alert</a>&nbsp;provides essential resources on key issues — health care extenders, Medicaid, enhanced premium tax credits, so-called site-neutral payment proposals and the 340B Drug Pricing Program — that support your advocacy efforts with your lawmakers.<h2>Events &amp; Education</h2><img data-entity-uuid="01707255-ab4c-4f68-9adf-838885043d3d" data-entity-type="file" src="/sites/default/files/inline-images/image_53.png" width="518" height="262"><h2> Features</h2>AHA report examines how growth of Medicare Advantage (MA) heightens challenges for rural hospitals A new&nbsp;<a href="/guidesreports/growing-impact-medicare-advantage-rural-hospitals-across-america">AHA report</a>&nbsp;highlights how some practices by certain Medicare Advantage plans are increasing rural hospitals’ vulnerabilities and threatening access to care in rural communities.The report reveals that rural hospitals are receiving only 90.6% of Traditional Medicare rates on a cost basis from MA plans. Quality of care is also affected, with 81% of rural clinicians reporting declines due to insurer requirements. Rural MA patients face longer hospital stays as well, spending 9.6% more time in the hospital before transitioning to post-acute care compared to similar Traditional Medicare patients. Administrative burdens have also grown, with nearly 4 in 5 rural clinicians reporting an increase in administrative tasks over the past five years, and 86% saying these demands have negatively impacted patient outcomes.<h2>Tools &amp; Resources</h2>Resources to protect rural hospitals from cyberthreatsRural hospitals’ limited access to technology, staff and financial resources constrains their ability to defend against the malicious actors behind today’s ever-escalating cyberattacks, writes John Riggi, AHA national advisor for cybersecurity and risk, in a new&nbsp;<a href="/news/aha-cyber-intel/2025-02-18-resources-protect-americas-rural-hospitals-cyberthreats">blog</a> on protecting rural hospitals from cyberthreats. The blog includes several resources, including details on the Microsoft Cybersecurity Program for Rural Hospitals, a program by the AHA and Microsoft that includes free and heavily discounted cybersecurity services. The program also includes nonprofit pricing for qualifying critical access hospitals on Microsoft enterprise licenses.<h2>Grants &amp; Awards</h2>Congratulations to the 2024 Rural Hospital Leadership Team Award winner and finalistsThe AHA&nbsp;<a href="/press-releases/2025-02-18-aha-names-2025-rural-hospital-leadership-team-award-winner-and-finalists">announced&nbsp;</a>the team from Columbia Memorial Hospital, a critical access hospital in Astoria, Ore., is the 2024 recipient of the Rural Hospital Leadership Team Award. The award recognizes rural hospital leaders who guide their hospitals and communities through change and innovation.&nbsp; Also recognized as finalists were teams at Atrium Health Lincoln in Lincoln, N.C.; Schneck Medical Center in Seymour, Ind.; and Summit Pacific Medical Center in Elma, Wash.&nbsp; The award was presented Feb. 23 at the 38th annual AHA Rural Health Care Leadership Conference in San Antonio.<h2>Rural Health Services</h2>AHA ensures the unique needs of our members are a national priority. Location, size, workforce, payment and access to capital challenge small or rural hospitals and the communities they serve. AHA Rural Health Services tracks the issues, develops policies and identifies solutions to our most pressing problems. We do this through:<ul><li>Representation and advocacy in Washington, D.C.</li><li>Communication and education.</li><li>Executive leadership and technical assistance.</li><li>Grants, tools, and resources.</li></ul>For more details, visit our website at<a href="/advocacy/rural-health-services">&nbsp;AHA Rural Health Services&nbsp;</a>or contact:&nbsp;-Susan Doherty, AHA Vice President, Field Engagement (<a href="mailto:sdoherty@aha.org" target="_blank" title="Susan Doherty email ">sdoherty@aha.org</a>) -Travis Robey, AHA Vice President, Political Affairs (<a href="mailto:trobey@aha.org" target="_blank" title="Travis Robey email">trobey@aha.org</a>) -Shannon Wu, AHA Senior Associate Director, Payment Policy (<a href="mailto:swu@aha.org" title="Shannon Wu email">swu@aha.org</a>)&nbsp;</div></div></div> Thu, 03 Apr 2025 13:41:07 -0500 Rural issues Rural Health News Update January 2025 <div class="container"><div class="row"><div class="col-md-8"><img src="/sites/default/files/inline-images/aha-logo-small-header.png" data-entity-uuid="0a3f954c-34fd-4faa-8f13-d31245d1d41f" data-entity-type="file" alt="Small AHA Logo Header" width="128" height="48" class="align-center"><img src="/sites/default/files/inline-images/rural-health-icon_1.jpg" data-entity-uuid="248e96f2-a7da-403f-835e-93ccca7b07d7" data-entity-type="file" alt="Rural Health Image" width="600" height="45" class="align-center"><h2 class="text-align-center">NEWS UPDATE</h2>January 2025Your guide to the latest rural health news and resourcesThe following is a compilation of recent news from the AHA and the Rural Health Services team, whose focus is to ensure rural hospitals’ and health systems’ unique needs are national priorities.<img src="/sites/default/files/inline-images/image_9.png" data-entity-uuid="ccd6cbce-9947-4c0f-9732-6c6052160b3d" data-entity-type="file" alt="AHA Rural Advocacy Alliance Logo" width="571" height="84">&nbsp;AHA Releases 2025 Advocacy Agenda The AHA released its&nbsp;<a href="/news/headline/2025-01-16-aha-releases-2025-advocacy-agenda" target="_blank" title="2025 AHA Advocacy Agenda">2025 Advocacy Agenda</a>&nbsp;on Jan. 15, detailing the association's key priorities for Congress, the administration, regulatory agencies and courts.The AHA has also launched a new&nbsp;<a href="/news/headline/2025-01-13-aha-ad-campaign-highlights-how-hospitals-are-always-ready-care" target="_blank" title="AHA TV and Multimedia advertising campaign">television and multimedia advertising campaign</a>&nbsp;to highlight how hospitals and health systems are there for all of life’s moments, 24/7/365!AHA Releases 2025-2027 Strategic Plan On Jan. 9, the AHA released the&nbsp;<a href="/ahas-2025-2027-strategic-plan" target="_blank" title="AHA 2025-2027 Strategic Plan">2025-2027 Strategic Plan</a>.&nbsp;The plan includes nine principles that serve as the foundation of the AHA’s work and strategies to help the field make progress on its mission of advancing health in America, including those in rural and frontier areas.&nbsp;<h2>Events &amp; Education</h2><img src="/sites/default/files/inline-images/image_51.png" data-entity-uuid="b5dfac18-0a45-420f-b237-7d43216310bc" data-entity-type="file" alt="Image of 2025 AHA Rural Health Care Leadership Conference Banner" width="491" height="248" class="align-center"> Register for the 2025 AHA Rural Health Care Leadership Conference&nbsp;<a href="https://ruralconference.aha.org/registration">here.</a>For more information:<ul><li><a href="https://ruralconference.aha.org/" target="_blank" title="Federal Rural Conference Sessions">Featured Rural Conference Sessions</a></li><li><a href="https://ruralconference.aha.org/program/governance-programming" target="_blank" title="Rural Governance Programming">Rural Governance Programming</a></li><li><a href="https://web.cvent.com/event/aafd2f0d-7c22-4056-a9b1-edf662686845/websitePage:43508fc0-e5ef-41be-9d0d-e8e38af6f1ee" target="_blank" title="Speaker Profiles">Speaker Profiles&nbsp;</a></li></ul><img src="/sites/default/files/inline-images/image_52.png" data-entity-uuid="812a0184-5649-4935-be32-68a2efa3336f" data-entity-type="file" width="652" height="368" class="align-center"><h2>Features</h2>AHA Rural Health Services Committee The AHA Rural Health Services Committee meets three times per year and provides policy perspective to the AHA leadership and board. Committee members come from a cross section of the rural membership, including representatives from the nine AHA regions.The current chair of the committee is Julie Yaroch, D.O., president, ProMedica Charles and Virginia Hickman Hospital in Adrian, Mich., and the chair-elect is Lynn Falcone, CEO, Cuero Regional Hospital in Cuero, Texas.Members of the committee starting a new term include:David Brash, CEO, Logan Regional Medical Center, Logan, W.Va. Jeffery Dial, president, ECU Health Duplin Hospital, Kenansville, N.C. Soniya Fidler, president, UCHealth Yampa Valley Medical Center, Steamboat Springs, Colo. Lari Gooding, CEO, Allendale County Hospital, Fairfax, S.C. Karla Hardesty, board chair, San Luis Valley Health, Alamosa, Colo. Daniel Ireland, president and COO, Finger Lakes Rural Hospitals, Batavia, N.Y. Cody Langbehn, CEO, Central Montana Medical Center, Lewistown, Mont. Holly McCormack, president and CEO, Cottage Hospital, Woodsville, N.H. Angela Mortoza, CEO, Dallas County Hospital, Perry, Iowa.Community Partnerships: Advancing Behavioral Health Access in Rural Communities Health care leaders from two neighboring rural Colorado counties formed separate grassroots movements in their communities to boost access to behavioral health. As suicide rates, addiction and other behavioral health needs soared in Eagle County, Colo., and adjacent Summit County, local leaders collaborated to shape local policy, raise funding and cooperate with local nonprofit organizations to fill gaps in care. <a href="/case-studies/2022-07-08-community-partnerships-advancing-behavioral-health-access-rural-communities" target="_blank" title="Community Partnerships Stories">READ NOW</a><h2>Tools &amp; Resources</h2>Top AI Use Cases with Rapid ROI Potential Many top AI use cases across administrative solutions, revenue cycle management, operational and clinical applications can deliver return on investment in a year or less. Examples include:ADMINISTRATIVE | Improve claims denial prevention.&nbsp; Although this application requires a high level of expertise to deploy, users can better predict which claims are likely to be denied based on diagnosis, treatment and insurance plan. Providers also will be able to identify inconsistencies, missing codes and duplicate entries.<a href="/case-studies/2022-07-08-community-partnerships-advancing-behavioral-health-access-rural-communities">CLINICAL</a> | Optimize operating room and procedure time.&nbsp; AI-driven algorithms for scheduling, predicting case duration and streamlining resource allocation, as well as in pre-operative medicine, can help redefine OR efficiency and patient care. AI-powered OR management solutions can improve resource allocation, patient outcomes and staff satisfaction. Hospitals can better predict case duration and cancellation, optimize post-anesthesia care unit resources and improve patient outcomes.<a href="/case-studies/2022-07-08-community-partnerships-advancing-behavioral-health-access-rural-communities">OPERATIONAL </a>| Leverage supply chain data to enhance cost management.&nbsp; This application also requires a high level of expertise, but within a year or less providers will be able to capture true case costs, provide accurate cost variance analysis as well as procedure and inventory demand intelligence, and identify expensive supplies that have been recalled or expired.PATIENT ACCESS | Streamline discharge planning.&nbsp; Although it may take a year or more before achieving ROI impact, this AI application will allow your organization to generate discharge summaries, translate medical information into a patient-friendly format, predict length of stay and identify readmission risks.<a href="/center/emerging-issues/market-insights/ai/building-and-implementing-artificial-intelligence-action-plan-health-care" target="_blank" title="Building and Implementing an Artificial Intelligence Action Plan for Health Care">Download the full report</a> to examine many more use case analyses in areas like: • Cybersecurity. • Capacity planning and management. • Pre-visit planning. • Personalizing care and treatment plans. • Reducing medical errors.COMMENTS? Contact Bob Kehoe at <a href="mailto:rkehoe@aha.org" target="_blank">rkehoe@aha.org</a><h2>Grants &amp; Awards</h2>CMS Announces States to Participate in Maternal Health Model On Jan. 6, the Centers for Medicare &amp; Medicaid Services announced the <a href="/news/headline/2025-01-06-cms-announces-states-participate-maternal-health-model" target="_blank" title="List of 15 participants to participate in the Transforming Maternal Health Model">15 participants</a> for its state Transforming Maternal Health Model. The model will provide technical support and resources to state Medicaid agencies to develop programs that address new mothers’ physical health, mental health and social needs during pregnancy and postpartum.<h2>Rural Health Services</h2>AHA ensures the unique needs of our members are a national priority. Location, size, workforce, payment and access to capital challenge small or rural hospitals and the communities they serve. AHA Rural Health Services tracks the issues, develops policies and identifies solutions to our most pressing problems. We do this through:<ul><li>Representation and advocacy in Washington, D.C.</li><li>Communication and education.</li><li>Executive leadership and technical assistance.</li><li>Grants, tools, and resources.</li></ul>For more details, visit our website at<a href="/advocacy/rural-health-services">&nbsp;AHA Rural Health Services&nbsp;</a>or contact:&nbsp;-Susan Doherty, AHA Vice President, Field Engagement (<a href="mailto:sdoherty@aha.org" target="_blank" title="Susan Doherty email ">sdoherty@aha.org</a>) -Travis Robey, AHA Vice President, Political Affairs (<a href="mailto:trobey@aha.org" target="_blank" title="Travis Robey email">trobey@aha.org</a>) -Shannon Wu, AHA Senior Associate Director, Payment Policy (<a href="mailto:swu@aha.org" title="Shannon Wu email">swu@aha.org</a>)&nbsp;</div></div></div> Thu, 03 Apr 2025 12:06:00 -0500 Rural issues Taking to the skies: How a doctor cares for patients in rural Colorado /role-hospitals-southeast-colorado-hospital-district-taking-skies-how-doctor-cares-patients-rural-colorado <div class="container"><div class="row"><div class="col-md-9"><div class="row"><div class="col-md-7"><img src="/sites/default/files/2025-04/ths-southeast-colorado-hospital-district-700x532.jpg" data-entity-uuid data-entity-type="file" alt="Southeast Colorado Hospital District. Rural landscape under cumulus cloud-filled sky" width="700" height="532" class="align-left"></div>Many daily commutes are on the ground — car, train, bikes — but what if you took to the air? Dr. Charles Frankum has spent over two decades flying himself to some of the most remote hospitals in Colorado and Kansas, including the <a href="https://www.sechosp.org" target="_blank">Southeast Colorado Hospital District</a> in Springfield, Colo. His daily four-hour commute in his plane showcases the need and complexity of providing critical medical care to rural communities.Frankum's journey as a pilot-doctor began in 2003, driven by the need for an efficient way to reach multiple rural hospitals. His efforts have been crucial in towns like Springfield, where the Southeast Colorado Hospital District serves as a vital health care hub. “[Frankum] comes in once a month, and just since I’ve been here the last couple of years, I know numerous people he has found cancers on or snipped polyps off of,” said Heather Burdick, chief nursing officer and nursing home administrator at the Southeast Colorado Hospital District. “His work not only saves lives but also strengthens the health care systems in these small towns.”“My work makes it so that only one person has to travel instead of all these other people having to travel,” said Frankum, “and it allows some very rural hospitals to turn their wheels and do procedures in their town.” Frankum’s efforts, and those of many other traveling physicians, ensure that residents of these rural areas receive the medical attention they need without having to travel long distances.<a class="btn btn-primary" href="https://www.rmpbs.org/blogs/housing-transportation/charles-frankum-colorado-doctor-pilot" target="_blank" title="Learn More">LEARN MORE</a></div></div><div class="col-md-3"><div><h4>Resources on the Role of Hospitals</h4><ul><li><a href="/advocacy/access-and-health-coverage">Access to Care</a></li><li><a href="/roleofhospitals">All Case Studies</a></li></ul></div></div></div></div> Thu, 03 Apr 2025 11:57:53 -0500 Rural issues Study finds social factors explain poorer cardiovascular health in rural areas /news/headline/2025-03-31-study-finds-social-factors-explain-poorer-cardiovascular-health-rural-areas A <a href="https://www.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases/social-factors-help-explain-worse-cardiovascular-health-among-adults-rural-vs-urban-communities">study</a> published March 31 by the National Institutes of Health found that adults living in rural areas have worse cardiovascular health than those in urban communities due to social factors such as income, education, having enough food and owning a home. The agency found that those living in rural rather than urban areas were more likely to have heart disease (7% vs. 4%), high blood pressure (37% vs. 31%), high cholesterol (29% vs. 27%), obesity (41% vs. 30%) and diabetes (11% vs. 10%).&nbsp; Mon, 31 Mar 2025 15:07:50 -0500 Rural issues Chair File: Leadership Dialogue — Importance of Advocacy and Storytelling in Rural Health with Lori Wightman, R.N., CEO of Bothwell Regional Health Center /news/chairpersons-file/2025-03-31-chair-file-leadership-dialogue-importance-advocacy-and-storytelling-rural-health-lori Rural hospitals and health systems face big challenges, but together — with a unified voice — we can work to ensure people living in rural communities get the safe, quality health care they need.In this Leadership Dialogue, I’m joined by Lori Wightman, R.N., CEO of Bothwell Regional Health Center, in Sedalia, Mo. Lori and I discuss working in a “family atmosphere” unique to a rural hospital and navigating the same pressures that face urban hospitals, including workforce shortages and the high costs of labor, supplies and drugs. Rural hospitals also experience severe underpayments by Medicare and Medicaid, and most have “razor-thin” operating margins.Lori describes leading annual advocacy days — where Bothwell board members meet with state legislators (and candidates in election years) — and emphasizes the importance of all team members telling the hospital story.I hope you find our conversation insightful and strategic. Look for future conversations with health care, business and community leaders on making health better as part of the Chair File in 2025. &nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P0QCVh9HyZ4&amp;embeds_referring_euri=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.aha.org%2F&amp;source_ve_path=OTY3MTQ" target="_blank" title="YouTube: Leadership Dialogue Series: Importance of Advocacy and Storytelling in Rural Health">Watch the Leadership Dialogue on YouTube.</a><hr><div></div><a href="https://player.captivate.fm/episode/934a92c6-6fc0-4245-b43b-0c44a2bc9ea4" target="_blank" title="Captivate: Leadership Dialogue Series: The Importance of Advocacy and Storytelling in Rural Health">Listen to the Leadership Dialogue on Captivate.</a>&nbsp;<div class="raw-html-embed"> <details class="transcript"> <summary> <h2 title="Click here to open/close the transcript."> View Transcript </h2> </summary> 00:00:01:05 - 00:00:23:09 Tom Haederle Welcome to Advancing Health. In the face of today's multiple challenges, every hospital needs support and buy in for its mission of great care. Storytelling - sharing the right kinds of stories with the right audience at the right time - is a great way to build and maintain that support. This is particularly important for rural hospitals and health systems, most of which have razor-thin operating margins. 00:00:23:12 - 00:00:40:10 Tom Haederle In this month's Leadership Dialogue, hosted by the �� Association's 2025 Board Chair Tina Freese Decker, we hear more about the importance of advocacy and of all team members participating in telling the hospital story. 00:00:40:13 - 00:01:07:25 Tina Freese Decker Thank you so much for joining us today. I'm Tina Freese Decker, president CEO for Corewell Health, and I'm also the board chair for the �� Association. Last month we talked about trust and how our hospitals and our health systems can strengthen that trust with our communities and the people that we serve. Our rural hospitals are uniquely positioned to do this, as they are often the largest employers in their towns and communities, and frequently the only local source of care. 00:01:07:27 - 00:01:28:07 Tina Freese Decker Rural health care is about being a family. We take care of each other in our communities as best as possible, and we're here to provide that care close to home, no matter what headwinds that we all face. I recently had the opportunity to attend the �� Association's Rural Conference and you could really feel that sense of family and community in the room. 00:01:28:09 - 00:01:59:15 Tina Freese Decker We work in hospitals in red states and blue states all across the country, but we are all focused on the same thing: helping our neighbors in our communities to be healthier. There are some big challenges that are facing real health care, but together with a unified voice, we can get what we need. As I have traveled around our country meeting with the �� Association's regional policy boards and visiting the rural hospitals and my health system and others, the number one concern that I have heard from our hospitals, our communities, is access. 00:01:59:18 - 00:02:22:28 Tina Freese Decker And that is why it is so integral to the �� Association strategy and it is why it is so important that we come together as a field and that we're united as a field, because these challenges that we are facing are real. So today, I am pleased to have a distinguished leader in rural health care with us to talk about how we can all work together to advocate for the needs of our hospitals. 00:02:23:01 - 00:02:45:09 Tina Freese Decker I'd like to welcome Lori Wightman. She is the CEO of Bothwell Regional Health Center, a 108 bed acute care hospital in Sedalia, Missouri. Laura has served in this role since 2019, but even prior to Bothwell, she worked in real health care as the president of Mercy Hospital Ada in Ada, Oklahoma. So, Lori, welcome. Glad you were able to join us today. 00:02:45:15 - 00:02:46:17 Lori Wightman, R.N. Thank you, Tina. 00:02:46:19 - 00:03:03:20 Tina Freese Decker And I wanted to start out with just telling us a little bit about yourself. I know you started your health care career as a nurse and then you made the shift to administration. Can you tell us about yourself and how you see that family aspect in the hospital and the community in our rural areas? 00:03:03:22 - 00:03:30:01 Lori Wightman, R.N. Sure. Well, my father was a hospital administrator and my mother was a nurse, so I did both. And so it was a natural progression. And I think the foundation that nursing lays gives you all kinds of transferable skills that have been very helpful as I went into hospital administration. My career and dating advice has always been, you can't go wrong with a nurse. 00:03:30:03 - 00:03:57:14 Lori Wightman, R.N. And there's certainly served me well. And you talk about that family atmosphere. That is why I continue to choose rural health care. I've done the CEO position in a suburban hospital, and I sat at our senior leadership team meeting and thinking I was the only one on our senior leadership team that even lived in the area that we served. 00:03:57:17 - 00:04:23:24 Lori Wightman, R.N. Everyone else lived in a different suburb, and I just thought that was strange and disconnected. And, so I returned again then to rural health care because it is like a family. And it's ironic because we just finished revisiting our mission, vision and values. And our new mission statement talks about together we work to provide compassionate and safe care to family, friends, and neighbors. 00:04:23:27 - 00:04:37:07 Lori Wightman, R.N. Invariably, when I met new employee orientation, a significant number of people were born at the hospital. That's why I love rural. It's like that "Cheers" phenomenon where everyone knows your name. 00:04:37:09 - 00:05:01:02 Tina Freese Decker Very true. I used to lead a couple of rural hospitals as well. And like you said, even just walking into a rural hospital it feels like family where everyone there knows your name and of course, protect things from a confidentiality and a privacy perspective, but that feeling that we're all in this together. So I love that your mission statement is about together, that you can make an impact on people's health. 00:05:01:05 - 00:05:13:28 Tina Freese Decker I described a little bit about what it's like to walk into a rural hospital. Can you share a little bit about what is like to be a rural hospital, what it means in today's environment and why it's such a great place to work? 00:05:14:01 - 00:05:47:06 Lori Wightman, R.N. Well, in many ways, rural hospitals are uniquely the same as our suburban or urban counterparts. Forty six million people depend on a rural hospital for their care. So we struggle with the same labor shortages, the cost of labor supplies and drugs is rising faster than our reimbursement. We have all of those same struggles. Unique is that family atmosphere, I think. 00:05:47:06 - 00:06:13:26 Lori Wightman, R.N. And we have multiple generations working at the hospital. Now, you can't say anything bad about anyone because invariably they're somehow related. Or they were best friends in high school, or they used to be married to each other. So I mean, it's unique in that way. We have the same types of struggles that &nbsp;our counterparts do. 00:06:13:28 - 00:06:18:03 Tina Freese Decker What pressures are you feeling the most acutely right now? 00:06:18:06 - 00:06:47:09 Lori Wightman, R.N. Well, you take all of those common challenges that I talked about, and you turn up the volume a little bit. Because for us, 78% of our patients and our volume is governmental payers, so 78% of our business, we're getting reimbursed below cost. You can't make that up in volume. So we rely on all of the governmental programs, you know, disproportionate share all of those things. 00:06:47:09 - 00:06:54:22 Lori Wightman, R.N. And, 340B is doing exactly for us what it was designed to do, save rural hospitals. 00:06:54:25 - 00:07:11:22 Tina Freese Decker Those areas are critical that they remain. And so that we can continue to provide that sustainable, high quality care in our communities and all of our communities. 78% being governmental. It's a huge portion of what we do and what we rely on for access and caring for people. 00:07:11:29 - 00:07:23:15 Lori Wightman, R.N. Right. We are the typical rural hospital. We have razor-thin margins and aging plant of 18 years. 00:07:23:18 - 00:07:31:10 Tina Freese Decker So those are challenges that you're trying to navigate right now with all of the other things that happen. And how is your staffing levels going? Are those going okay? 00:07:31:13 - 00:07:55:12 Lori Wightman, R.N. Have the same labor shortage issues. We still have 22 traveling nurses here, but we have started being very aggressive in a grow your own program. And so as soon as the next month we're going to cut that number in half and then, within six months, we're hoping to have all of contract staff out. 00:07:55:15 - 00:08:02:04 Tina Freese Decker Is that something that you're most proud of, or is there something else that you want to share that you're most proud of from a rural hospital perspective? 00:08:02:06 - 00:08:29:24 Lori Wightman, R.N. I think what I'm most proud of is you get to personally view the impact of your decisions on people. I'm very proud of our all the talented people that we have here, from clinicians to community health workers. All of our physicians get to use all of the things they learned in medical school and residency, because there isn't a lot of subspecialists, so they are working at the top of their license. 00:08:29:26 - 00:08:50:21 Lori Wightman, R.N. Just several months ago, one of our critical care physicians diagnosed a case of botulism. Now as an old infection control nurse I get very excited about that because I never thought in my career I would see botulism. But it was diagnosed and treated here and the person's doing well. 00:08:50:23 - 00:09:25:27 Tina Freese Decker Oh, that's wonderful to hear. When you talk about all the different people that are part of health care in rural settings, or also another settings, it's quite amazing to see how many different areas we need to come together to take care of our community. When you think about an even larger scale, from rural hospitals to urban and teaching hospitals and others, how do you think about the whole ecosystem of our field and how we, you know, do we need all of us or and is there a way to form that greater fabric and social connection, or is there something else that we should be doing? 00:09:25:29 - 00:09:50:21 Lori Wightman, R.N. We are all very interconnected and I believe we are all needed. And I especially feel that as an independent hospital, not part of a health system, this is my first independent hospital. I rely on my hospital association more than I ever did when I was working for a health system, because it all comes down to relationships. 00:09:50:21 - 00:10:18:13 Lori Wightman, R.N. And so how do you develop, how do you get yourself in situations where you are meeting and now working with your partners around the state or the region? Because it comes down to relationships, you really need to know who your neighbors are in terms of other hospitals, who you're referring your patients to and develop that working relationship because it is all interconnected. 00:10:18:13 - 00:10:25:06 Lori Wightman, R.N. And we rely on our partners that we refer to, and they rely on us, too. 00:10:25:08 - 00:10:43:23 Tina Freese Decker One of the things I heard you say about the Rural Health Conference that the �� Association just put on, and the value of the �� Association is that we're not alone. And those values of relationships are really critical. So I appreciate that. The �� Association also talks a lot about how do we tell the hospital story. 00:10:43:25 - 00:10:55:15 Tina Freese Decker So how do you engage in advocacy to make sure we're telling that hospital story so that our legislative leaders and others know the value that we're bringing to the community? 00:10:55:17 - 00:11:22:11 Lori Wightman, R.N. Well, we are surrounded by stories. And so the first thing is to always be picking up on what is the story that is surrounding us, and how can we capture that? Because the most effective way is to bring that patient or nurse or physician to the legislator to testify, because they are the most effective way of communicating a message. 00:11:22:18 - 00:11:49:07 Lori Wightman, R.N. You know, the suits can go and talk about data, but nothing is more effective than what I call a real person telling their story and how a decision or a potential decision is going to impact them and how it feels. The other thing we do is every October, it's become tradition. We have Advocacy Day with our board, at our board meeting. 00:11:49:09 - 00:12:21:12 Lori Wightman, R.N. We invite our state elected officials &nbsp;- so people representing us at the state capitol - to come to our board meetings. On election years their challengers also come and I invite the hospital association and they all answer two questions: What do you hope to accomplish in the next legislative session, and what do you think might get in the way? That sets the scene for my board to understand that part of their role in governance is advocacy. 00:12:21:14 - 00:12:29:19 Lori Wightman, R.N. And so I've had two of my board members...almost every legislative session I go and testify on on some bill. 00:12:29:21 - 00:12:50:01 Tina Freese Decker That is really a good idea. Thank you so much for sharing that. Do you have any other final suggestions for us as AHA members, as other hospitals, whether it's rural or urban, that we should think about or do as we think about advocacy and access or also field unity? 00:12:50:03 - 00:13:22:11 Lori Wightman, R.N. You know, having been on the board of two different state hospital associations, I get it. You know, sometimes members can be at odds with each other on a given issue. And my advice to AHA would be to play the role of convener, facilitating conversations between members to better understand each other's position. And if a middle ground can't be reached, then that might be an issue that AHA remains neutral on. 00:13:22:14 - 00:13:34:07 Lori Wightman, R.N. But there are so many issues where we can agree on and that is very much the role and what all of us depend on AHA to play in advocating. 00:13:34:09 - 00:14:02:15 Tina Freese Decker There's a lot that binds us together. Like you said, we're all caring for our neighbors and our communities, and that's the most critical piece of it. And we have to keep that front and center with every decision that we make and every action that we do. Well, Lori, thank you so much for being with us today on this AHA podcast, for sharing your expertise in rural health care and for talking about some new ideas that all of us can take forward to ensure that we're telling the hospital story in the best way possible. 00:14:02:18 - 00:14:21:09 Tina Freese Decker So while I know that we have our work ahead of us, I know that I continue to be energized every time I speak with committed and passionate hospital leaders like Lori. Again, appreciate your work that you do every single day for the neighbors and for the people in your community that you serve. We'll be back next month for another Leadership Dialogue conversation. 00:14:21:13 - 00:14:23:01 Tina Freese Decker Have a great day. 00:14:23:03 - 00:14:31:13 Tom Haederle Thanks for listening to Advancing Health. Please subscribe and rate us five stars on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. </details> </div> Mon, 31 Mar 2025 10:49:30 -0500 Rural issues Leadership Dialogue Series: The Importance of Advocacy and Storytelling in Rural Health /advancing-health-podcast/2025-03-31-leadership-dialogue-series-importance-advocacy-and-storytelling-rural-health In this Leadership Dialogue conversation, Tina Freese Decker, president and CEO of Corewell Health and 2025 AHA board chair, talks with Lori Wightman, R.N., CEO of Bothwell Regional Health Center, about the challenges that rural hospitals and health systems face, including razor-thin operating margins and workforce staffing, before pivoting to discuss the importance of advocacy in telling the hospital story.<hr><div></div><div class="raw-html-embed"><details class="transcript"> <summary> <h2 title="Click here to open/close the transcript."> View Transcript </h2> </summary> 00:00:01:05 - 00:00:23:09 Tom Haederle Welcome to Advancing Health. In the face of today's multiple challenges, every hospital needs support and buy in for its mission of great care. Storytelling - sharing the right kinds of stories with the right audience at the right time - is a great way to build and maintain that support. This is particularly important for rural hospitals and health systems, most of which have razor-thin operating margins. 00:00:23:12 - 00:00:40:10 Tom Haederle In this month's Leadership Dialogue, hosted by the �� Association's 2025 Board Chair Tina Freese Decker, we hear more about the importance of advocacy and of all team members participating in telling the hospital story. 00:00:40:13 - 00:01:07:25 Tina Freese Decker Thank you so much for joining us today. I'm Tina Freese Decker, president CEO for Corewell Health, and I'm also the board chair for the �� Association. Last month we talked about trust and how our hospitals and our health systems can strengthen that trust with our communities and the people that we serve. Our rural hospitals are uniquely positioned to do this, as they are often the largest employers in their towns and communities, and frequently the only local source of care. 00:01:07:27 - 00:01:28:07 Tina Freese Decker Rural health care is about being a family. We take care of each other in our communities as best as possible, and we're here to provide that care close to home, no matter what headwinds that we all face. I recently had the opportunity to attend the �� Association's Rural Conference and you could really feel that sense of family and community in the room. 00:01:28:09 - 00:01:59:15 Tina Freese Decker We work in hospitals in red states and blue states all across the country, but we are all focused on the same thing: helping our neighbors in our communities to be healthier. There are some big challenges that are facing real health care, but together with a unified voice, we can get what we need. As I have traveled around our country meeting with the �� Association's regional policy boards and visiting the rural hospitals and my health system and others, the number one concern that I have heard from our hospitals, our communities, is access. 00:01:59:18 - 00:02:22:28 Tina Freese Decker And that is why it is so integral to the �� Association strategy and it is why it is so important that we come together as a field and that we're united as a field, because these challenges that we are facing are real. So today, I am pleased to have a distinguished leader in rural health care with us to talk about how we can all work together to advocate for the needs of our hospitals. 00:02:23:01 - 00:02:45:09 Tina Freese Decker I'd like to welcome Lori Wightman. She is the CEO of Bothwell Regional Health Center, a 108 bed acute care hospital in Sedalia, Missouri. Laura has served in this role since 2019, but even prior to Bothwell, she worked in real health care as the president of Mercy Hospital Ada in Ada, Oklahoma. So, Lori, welcome. Glad you were able to join us today. 00:02:45:15 - 00:02:46:17 Lori Wightman, R.N. Thank you, Tina. 00:02:46:19 - 00:03:03:20 Tina Freese Decker And I wanted to start out with just telling us a little bit about yourself. I know you started your health care career as a nurse and then you made the shift to administration. Can you tell us about yourself and how you see that family aspect in the hospital and the community in our rural areas? 00:03:03:22 - 00:03:30:01 Lori Wightman, R.N. Sure. Well, my father was a hospital administrator and my mother was a nurse, so I did both. And so it was a natural progression. And I think the foundation that nursing lays gives you all kinds of transferable skills that have been very helpful as I went into hospital administration. My career and dating advice has always been, you can't go wrong with a nurse. 00:03:30:03 - 00:03:57:14 Lori Wightman, R.N. And there's certainly served me well. And you talk about that family atmosphere. That is why I continue to choose rural health care. I've done the CEO position in a suburban hospital, and I sat at our senior leadership team meeting and thinking I was the only one on our senior leadership team that even lived in the area that we served. 00:03:57:17 - 00:04:23:24 Lori Wightman, R.N. Everyone else lived in a different suburb, and I just thought that was strange and disconnected. And, so I returned again then to rural health care because it is like a family. And it's ironic because we just finished revisiting our mission, vision and values. And our new mission statement talks about together we work to provide compassionate and safe care to family, friends, and neighbors. 00:04:23:27 - 00:04:37:07 Lori Wightman, R.N. Invariably, when I met new employee orientation, a significant number of people were born at the hospital. That's why I love rural. It's like that "Cheers" phenomenon where everyone knows your name. 00:04:37:09 - 00:05:01:02 Tina Freese Decker Very true. I used to lead a couple of rural hospitals as well. And like you said, even just walking into a rural hospital it feels like family where everyone there knows your name and of course, protect things from a confidentiality and a privacy perspective, but that feeling that we're all in this together. So I love that your mission statement is about together, that you can make an impact on people's health. 00:05:01:05 - 00:05:13:28 Tina Freese Decker I described a little bit about what it's like to walk into a rural hospital. Can you share a little bit about what is like to be a rural hospital, what it means in today's environment and why it's such a great place to work? 00:05:14:01 - 00:05:47:06 Lori Wightman, R.N. Well, in many ways, rural hospitals are uniquely the same as our suburban or urban counterparts. Forty six million people depend on a rural hospital for their care. So we struggle with the same labor shortages, the cost of labor supplies and drugs is rising faster than our reimbursement. We have all of those same struggles. Unique is that family atmosphere, I think. 00:05:47:06 - 00:06:13:26 Lori Wightman, R.N. And we have multiple generations working at the hospital. Now, you can't say anything bad about anyone because invariably they're somehow related. Or they were best friends in high school, or they used to be married to each other. So I mean, it's unique in that way. We have the same types of struggles that &nbsp;our counterparts do. 00:06:13:28 - 00:06:18:03 Tina Freese Decker What pressures are you feeling the most acutely right now? 00:06:18:06 - 00:06:47:09 Lori Wightman, R.N. Well, you take all of those common challenges that I talked about, and you turn up the volume a little bit. Because for us, 78% of our patients and our volume is governmental payers, so 78% of our business, we're getting reimbursed below cost. You can't make that up in volume. So we rely on all of the governmental programs, you know, disproportionate share all of those things. 00:06:47:09 - 00:06:54:22 Lori Wightman, R.N. And, 340B is doing exactly for us what it was designed to do, save rural hospitals. 00:06:54:25 - 00:07:11:22 Tina Freese Decker Those areas are critical that they remain. And so that we can continue to provide that sustainable, high quality care in our communities and all of our communities. 78% being governmental. It's a huge portion of what we do and what we rely on for access and caring for people. 00:07:11:29 - 00:07:23:15 Lori Wightman, R.N. Right. We are the typical rural hospital. We have razor-thin margins and aging plant of 18 years. 00:07:23:18 - 00:07:31:10 Tina Freese Decker So those are challenges that you're trying to navigate right now with all of the other things that happen. And how is your staffing levels going? Are those going okay? 00:07:31:13 - 00:07:55:12 Lori Wightman, R.N. Have the same labor shortage issues. We still have 22 traveling nurses here, but we have started being very aggressive in a grow your own program. And so as soon as the next month we're going to cut that number in half and then, within six months, we're hoping to have all of contract staff out. 00:07:55:15 - 00:08:02:04 Tina Freese Decker Is that something that you're most proud of, or is there something else that you want to share that you're most proud of from a rural hospital perspective? 00:08:02:06 - 00:08:29:24 Lori Wightman, R.N. I think what I'm most proud of is you get to personally view the impact of your decisions on people. I'm very proud of our all the talented people that we have here, from clinicians to community health workers. All of our physicians get to use all of the things they learned in medical school and residency, because there isn't a lot of subspecialists, so they are working at the top of their license. 00:08:29:26 - 00:08:50:21 Lori Wightman, R.N. Just several months ago, one of our critical care physicians diagnosed a case of botulism. Now as an old infection control nurse I get very excited about that because I never thought in my career I would see botulism. But it was diagnosed and treated here and the person's doing well. 00:08:50:23 - 00:09:25:27 Tina Freese Decker Oh, that's wonderful to hear. When you talk about all the different people that are part of health care in rural settings, or also another settings, it's quite amazing to see how many different areas we need to come together to take care of our community. When you think about an even larger scale, from rural hospitals to urban and teaching hospitals and others, how do you think about the whole ecosystem of our field and how we, you know, do we need all of us or and is there a way to form that greater fabric and social connection, or is there something else that we should be doing? 00:09:25:29 - 00:09:50:21 Lori Wightman, R.N. We are all very interconnected and I believe we are all needed. And I especially feel that as an independent hospital, not part of a health system, this is my first independent hospital. I rely on my hospital association more than I ever did when I was working for a health system, because it all comes down to relationships. 00:09:50:21 - 00:10:18:13 Lori Wightman, R.N. And so how do you develop, how do you get yourself in situations where you are meeting and now working with your partners around the state or the region? Because it comes down to relationships, you really need to know who your neighbors are in terms of other hospitals, who you're referring your patients to and develop that working relationship because it is all interconnected. 00:10:18:13 - 00:10:25:06 Lori Wightman, R.N. And we rely on our partners that we refer to, and they rely on us, too. 00:10:25:08 - 00:10:43:23 Tina Freese Decker One of the things I heard you say about the Rural Health Conference that the �� Association just put on, and the value of the �� Association is that we're not alone. And those values of relationships are really critical. So I appreciate that. The �� Association also talks a lot about how do we tell the hospital story. 00:10:43:25 - 00:10:55:15 Tina Freese Decker So how do you engage in advocacy to make sure we're telling that hospital story so that our legislative leaders and others know the value that we're bringing to the community? 00:10:55:17 - 00:11:22:11 Lori Wightman, R.N. Well, we are surrounded by stories. And so the first thing is to always be picking up on what is the story that is surrounding us, and how can we capture that? Because the most effective way is to bring that patient or nurse or physician to the legislator to testify, because they are the most effective way of communicating a message. 00:11:22:18 - 00:11:49:07 Lori Wightman, R.N. You know, the suits can go and talk about data, but nothing is more effective than what I call a real person telling their story and how a decision or a potential decision is going to impact them and how it feels. The other thing we do is every October, it's become tradition. We have Advocacy Day with our board, at our board meeting. 00:11:49:09 - 00:12:21:12 Lori Wightman, R.N. We invite our state elected officials &nbsp;- so people representing us at the state capitol - to come to our board meetings. On election years their challengers also come and I invite the hospital association and they all answer two questions: What do you hope to accomplish in the next legislative session, and what do you think might get in the way? That sets the scene for my board to understand that part of their role in governance is advocacy. 00:12:21:14 - 00:12:29:19 Lori Wightman, R.N. And so I've had two of my board members...almost every legislative session I go and testify on on some bill. 00:12:29:21 - 00:12:50:01 Tina Freese Decker That is really a good idea. Thank you so much for sharing that. Do you have any other final suggestions for us as AHA members, as other hospitals, whether it's rural or urban, that we should think about or do as we think about advocacy and access or also field unity? 00:12:50:03 - 00:13:22:11 Lori Wightman, R.N. You know, having been on the board of two different state hospital associations, I get it. You know, sometimes members can be at odds with each other on a given issue. And my advice to AHA would be to play the role of convener, facilitating conversations between members to better understand each other's position. And if a middle ground can't be reached, then that might be an issue that AHA remains neutral on. 00:13:22:14 - 00:13:34:07 Lori Wightman, R.N. But there are so many issues where we can agree on and that is very much the role and what all of us depend on AHA to play in advocating. 00:13:34:09 - 00:14:02:15 Tina Freese Decker There's a lot that binds us together. Like you said, we're all caring for our neighbors and our communities, and that's the most critical piece of it. And we have to keep that front and center with every decision that we make and every action that we do. Well, Lori, thank you so much for being with us today on this AHA podcast, for sharing your expertise in rural health care and for talking about some new ideas that all of us can take forward to ensure that we're telling the hospital story in the best way possible. 00:14:02:18 - 00:14:21:09 Tina Freese Decker So while I know that we have our work ahead of us, I know that I continue to be energized every time I speak with committed and passionate hospital leaders like Lori. Again, appreciate your work that you do every single day for the neighbors and for the people in your community that you serve. We'll be back next month for another Leadership Dialogue conversation. 00:14:21:13 - 00:14:23:01 Tina Freese Decker Have a great day. 00:14:23:03 - 00:14:31:13 Tom Haederle Thanks for listening to Advancing Health. Please subscribe and rate us five stars on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. </details></div> Mon, 31 Mar 2025 01:41:00 -0500 Rural issues Rural care provider secures critical funding to stay open and serve patients /role-hospitals-bucktail-medical-center-rural-care-provider-secures-critical-funding-stay-open-and-serve-patients <div class="container"><div class="row"><div class="col-md-9"><div class="row"><div class="col-md-6"><img src="/sites/default/files/2025-03/ths-bucktail-medical-center-700x532.jpg" data-entity-uuid data-entity-type="file" alt="Bucktail Medical Center facility exterior" width="700" height="532"></div>A grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development has prevented the impending closure of Bucktail Medical Center and preserved its ability to deliver essential care to thousands of rural residents of central Pennsylvania.Beset by many of the same financial and economic challenges currently affecting numerous rural health care providers nationwide, Bucktail Medical Center’s services — including hospital care, a community clinic, imaging, lab, physical therapy, a 24-hour emergency room, acute care and more — represent access to lifesaving care for people who otherwise would face with much longer travel times for the same services.A coalition of local and state lawmakers coordinated efforts to secure the state funding, noting that the hospital is central not only to the health of the community but also to its economic well-being and ability to attract new business and thrive.“The $1 million makes it possible for Bucktail Medical Center to continue serving the health care needs of the Renovo community and western Clinton County,” said Laura Murnyack, CEO of Bucktail Medical Center. “Our doors remain open, and we offer comprehensive healthcare services for people of all ages, from infants to seniors.”<a class="btn btn-primary" href="https://bucktailmedicalcenter.org/bucktail-medical-center-secures-1-million-in-dced-funding-to-sustain-vital-healthcare-services/">LEARN MORE</a></div></div><div class="col-md-3"><div><h4>Resources on the Role of Hospitals</h4><ul><li><a href="/community-benefit">Benefiting Communities</a></li><li><a href="/roleofhospitals">All Case Studies</a></li></ul></div></div></div></div> Fri, 28 Mar 2025 15:12:58 -0500 Rural issues House Letter from AHA, Other Organizations in Support of Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act (H.R.1585) /lettercomment/2025-03-27-house-letter-aha-other-organizations-support-conrad-state-30-and-physician-access-reauthorization-act <div class="container"><div class="row"><div class="col-md-8">March 26, 2025<div class="row"><div class="col-md-6">The Honorable David Valadao US House of Representatives 2465 Rayburn House Office Building Washington D.C., 20515</div><div class="col-md-6">The Honorable Brad Schneider US House of Representatives 300 Cannon House Office Building Washington D.C., 20515</div></div><div class="row"><div class="col-md-6">The Honorable Don Bacon US House of Representatives 2104 Rayburn House Office Building Washington D.C., 20515</div><div class="col-md-6">The Honorable Sylvia Garcia US House of Representatives 2419 Rayburn House Office Building Washington D.C., 20515</div></div></div><div class="col-md-4"><div class="external-link spacer"><a class="btn btn-wide btn-primary" href="/system/files/media/file/2025/03/house-letter-from-aha-other-organizations-in-support-of-conrad-state-30-and-physician-access-reauthorization-act-h-r585-letter-3-26-2025.pdf" target="_blank">Download the House Letter PDF</a></div><div class="external-link spacer"><a class="btn btn-wide btn-primary" href="/lettercomment/2025-03-27-senate-letter-aha-other-organizations-support-conrad-state-30-and-physician-access-reauthorization-act" target="_blank">Read the Senate Letter</a></div></div></div><div class="row"><div class="col-md-8">Dear Representatives Valadao, Schneider, Bacon, and Garcia:On behalf of the 45 undersigned organizations, we are writing to strongly support the introduction of the Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act (H.R. 1585).The healthcare workforce is under increasing strain. The aging U.S. population is increasing demand for healthcare services while also contributing to physician attrition. At the same time, reimbursement challenges in Medicare, along with insufficient investment in graduate medical education, have made the practice of medicine more difficult and constrained the pipeline of new doctors. These challenges are particularly acute in rural and underserved communities, where workforce shortages have led to severe access issues. Today, more than 80 million Americans lack adequate access to primary care, exacerbating health disparities across the country.Confronting this challenge will require a comprehensive approach from Congress. A key part of the solution is leveraging international medical graduates (IMGs). One in five physicians in the U.S. is foreign-born, and these doctors play an essential role in filling workforce shortages in areas and specialties that struggle to recruit and retain physicians. These include geriatric medicine, interventional cardiology, nephrology, neurology, and critical care medicine, where IMGs are disproportionately represented. The Conrad 30 program is an effective tool for incentivizing U.S.-trained international physicians to work in these high-need areas.Over the last 30 years, the program has facilitated placement of approximately 20,000 physicians in communities that otherwise might not have had access to health care. The program has also demonstrated success at retaining physicians beyond the three-year commitment. However, misaligned incentives and outdated policies are jeopardizing the future success of the program.The Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act would make necessary updates to strengthen the program. In addition to gradually increasing the number of available waivers per state if certain thresholds are met, it also clarifies and improves the waiver process for both physicians and employers by making clear the transition period between receiving a waiver and beginning work. These commonsense changes will improve program efficiency and help ensure that more IMGs can pursue opportunities in underserved areas.One of the strengths of the Conrad 30 program is its flexible design, which allows each state to tailor the program to meet its specific healthcare needs. This reauthorization will reinforce that flexibility while providing needed clarity and incentives to attract and retain more highly qualified physicians. As workforce shortages worsen, Congress must act with urgency to advance this legislation and strengthen one of the most successful programs for addressing healthcare workforce shortages.Thank you again for your leadership on this important issue. We look forward to working with you to advance this bill and ensure that the Conrad 30 program continues to serve as a healthcare and economic lifeline for communities in need.Sincerely,Alliance for Headache Disorders Advocacy Ambulatory Surgery Center Association American Academy of Family Physicians American Academy of Neurology American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation American Association of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry American Association of Neuromuscular &amp; Electrodiagnostic Medicine American Brain Coalition American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists American College of Physicians American College of Radiology American College of Rheumatology American College of Surgeons American Gastroenterological Association American Geriatrics Society �� Association American Medical Association American Psychiatric Association American Society of Anesthesiologists American Society of Neuroradiology Anxiety and Depression Association of America Association for Advancing Physician and Provider Recruitment (AAPPR) Association of Clinicians for the Underserved (ACU) Association of American Medical Colleges Association of University Professors of Neurology College of American Pathologists Bobby Jones Chiari &amp; Syringomyelia Foundation Dystonia Medical Research Foundation Federation of ��s (FAH) Hope for HIE Hydrocephalus Association Infectious Diseases Society of America International Bipolar Foundation M-CM Network Miles for Migraine MLD Foundation NANOS (North American Neuro- opthalmology Society) National Ataxia Foundation The Niskanen Center Phelan-McDermid Syndrome Foundation Physicians for American Healthcare Access (PAHA) Premier Inc. Society of Hospital Medicine The Society of Thoracic Surgeons SynGAP Research Fund dba CURE SYNGAP1</div></div></div> Thu, 27 Mar 2025 12:45:25 -0500 Rural issues