Rural hospitals and healthcare providers are constantly facing new challenges as the healthcare industry changes and as regulations shift. At the same time, legislators and federal agencies need to hear from rural hospitals if any new action needs to be taken for their benefit or if coming changes will impact them. Our guest today is Carrie Cochran-McClain, Chief Policy Officer for the National Rural Health Association. Make your voice heard to promote NRHA’s rural health FY 2023 Appropriations ...
Oct 13, 2022•46 min
While much of the funding for rural hospitals comes through the federal government, state legislatures also play a key role in funding, supporting and safeguarding their rural hospitals. So, how do rural hospitals ensure their needs are prioritized in the state budget and through state law? On today’s episode, hosts JJ and Rachel talk with Michigan State Rep. Andrew Fink about funding and representation for rural hospitals. Follow Rural Health Rising on Twitter! https://twitter.com/ruralhealthpo...
Oct 06, 2022•42 min
Rural hospitals are often praised for their personalized approach of neighbors caring for neighbors, but along with the rest of the healthcare industry, rural providers are not immune to the increasingly less human-centered care that we sometimes see today. To help us understand the importance of more personable and less mechanical care, we welcome Dr. Charles Vear, retired Chief of Staff at our very own Hillsdale Hospital.
Sep 29, 2022•39 min
Rural hospitals face significant financial strain to the point of closure for more than 140 hospitals since 2010. Additionally, we are seeing many others facing a high and/or immediate risk of closing in the near future. Today, we dive back into this very important topic with our guest, David Usher, Chief Financial Officer at Ray County Memorial Hospital.
Sep 22, 2022•42 min
This week, JJ and Rachel continue their discussion on how the pandemic impacted individuals with disabilities with Michigan Supreme Court Justice, Richard Bernstein.
Sep 15, 2022•31 min
COVID-19 has had significant impacts on all sectors of the population for the past three years, but has created particular challenges for those with disabilities who use hearing and touch as communication. To help us understand how the critical institutions in our community and state need to support those with disabilities in todays COVID-19 affected world and in case of future pandemics, we welcome Michigan Supreme Court Justice, Richard Bernstein. Episode Transcript...
Sep 08, 2022•42 min
In rural healthcare, it is essential to have support advocating for your needs and developing policies that are helpful to rural hospitals while influencing policies that could be hurtful instead. In order to find out how rural hospitals ensure that issues important to them are addressed through effective policies, we welcome Lauren LaPine, Director of Small & Rural Hospitals & Policy Programs at the Michigan Health and Hospital Association.
Sep 01, 2022•42 min
Connections between rural hospitals and state wide advocacy organizations that can represent them is crucial to hospital success, and even at times, their survival. These partnerships assist hospitals in providing affordable healthcare to their community, focusing on quality initiatives and even advocating for them with their local legislatures. Our guests this week are Lindsay Peters, Senior Director at MHA, and Brian Peters, Chief Executive Officer at MHA.
Aug 25, 2022•55 min
There are many entities that rate and evaluate hospitals for quality, safety and more. However, rural hospitals are often overshadowed or misjudged due to data collection techniques, metric designs that automatically disadvantage rural hospitals with smaller numbers, and the lack of concern for the subsequent misleading results. This week, we welcome someone who specializes in data collection and analysis for rural hospitals as we try and get an accurate picture of the challenges and successes o...
Aug 18, 2022•49 min
Healthcare is one of the most regulated industries that exist today, and the maze of regulations continues to expand. Today, we zero in on how rural hospitals can deal with the growing complexity of the regulatory environment. Our guest this week is Martie Ross, Office Managing Principal at PYA, and Director of the Center for Rural Health Advancement.
Aug 11, 2022•48 min
Gaining community support through fundraising can be difficult for rural hospitals thanks to limited time, resources, and personnel dedicated to this effort. A strong development program however, can bolster the bottom line and more importantly, build affinity towards the hospital among members of the community. Our guest this week is Lisa Alexander, President of CoxHealth Foundation.
Aug 04, 2022•44 min
When it comes to a rural hospital becoming more financially sustainable, having a strategy is critical. This week, JJ and Rachel continue in part 2. of our discussion about the importance of strategic planning.
Jul 28, 2022•22 min
When it comes to a rural hospital becoming more financially sustainable, having a strategy is critical. This week in part 1, JJ and Rachel sit down to talk about the importance of strategic planning.
Jul 21, 2022•42 min
This week, we continue the discussion on the value rural hospitals bring when partnering with larger systems and organizations. Our guest today is Jeff Sommer, Managing Director at Stroudwater Associates.
Jul 14, 2022•56 min
We've talked before about how healthcare partnerships are critical to rural hospitals, but these partnerships are also beneficial to the organizations that we are joining forces with. Today, we look into the value rural hospitals bring to their partner organizations, and how to use that value to leverage more relationships with increased returns. Our guest this week is Eric Shell, Chairman of Stroudwater Associates.
Jul 07, 2022•51 min
Infection control is a term that is now well understood even outside of healthcare thanks to the Covid-19 pandemic. This week, we get into the challenges rural hospitals face as they implement their own infection control programs, and how those programs have changed and adapted in response to the pandemic as well as preparing for future outbreaks. Our guest today is Randy Holland, Director of Ancillary Services and Infection Control Officer here at Hillsdale Hospital.
Jun 30, 2022•44 min
Access to prenatal care in rural communities is critical to the health and well-being of mothers and their children, but its often difficult to access, limited in scope, or worse, non existent. To help us take a deeper look into this topic, we welcome Brittany Page, Registered Nurse, at the Bediako Birthing Center here at Hillsdale Hospital.
Jun 23, 2022•44 min
Connecting with federal government decision makers is an important t part of rural hospital advocacy efforts. But without a Washington DC base, it's not easy to cultivate those relationships. This week, we welcome someone who has partnered with Hillsdale Hospital to help cultivate political relationships. Our guest is Mark Mcintyre, Co-founder and Principal of Merchant Mcintyre Associates.
Jun 16, 2022•41 min
As rural hospitals work to provide the best quality of care for their patients, while maintaining financial solvency, programs like 340B can help make drugs more affordable. 340B and other programs can make or break a hospitals ability to remain financially solvent. But 340B is currently under threat from the pharmaceutical industry and others who would like to see it discontinued or scaled back. This week, we welcome Jeff Kauffman, Director of Pharmacy right here at Hillsdale Hospital....
Jun 09, 2022•43 min
Last week we discussed the myriad of headlines relating to financial losses hospitals are facing across the country. Since then we've seen even more headlines on hospitals posting significant financial losses. JJ and Rachel sit down to discuss possible solutions for hospitals as well as what the public can do to advocate for their hospitals, especially rural. National Rural Health Association: ruralhealth.us
Jun 02, 2022•28 min
This week, JJ and Rachel sit down to talk about the healthcare industry's aftershocks coming on after the pandemic. We also look into some of the factors contributing to the financial situation rural hospitals find themselves in today.
May 26, 2022•28 min
We've talked quite a bit about provider recruitment challenges that rural hospitals face, and discussed on a previous episode developing a talent pipeline for nurse practitioners. Today, we are talking big picture about the role nurse practitioners play in our total continuum of care. Our guest today is April Kapu, President of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners.
May 19, 2022•38 min
The patient experience is not a new topic for healthcare, for rural hospitals or even for this podcast. But it’s so central to what we do and it’s a little unique in the rural environment. To dive deeper into this topic, we're talking this week to Lori Strahm, Director of Patient Experience and Strategic Partnerships for Parkview Health.
May 12, 2022•46 min
This week, JJ and Rachel sit down to talk about mergers, acquisitions and the consolidation of healthcare services in America. In addition, they examine recent data released by the Treasury Department's State of Labor Market Competition Report, and how it relates to rural health and healthcare. State of Labor Market Competition Report: https://home.treasury.https://drive.google.com/file/d/146qC2uLgRO8bjyxi6aZniSgdfG8sMNNi/view?usp=sharinggov/system/files/136/State-of-Labor-Market-Competition-202...
May 05, 2022•25 min
We talk about healthcare policy often, and when we talk about long-term financial stability for rural hospitals, we’re usually talking about federal policy as it relates to reimbursements, payment structures, etc. But state-level healthcare policy also has a significant impact on rural hospitals. Our guest today is state Rep. Bronna Kahle serving Michigan’s 57th district.
Apr 28, 2022•40 min
We know chronic disease is a major concern in rural America, often coming on Community Health Needs Assessments as a key priority area with diabetes in particular. Is diabetes more prevalent in rural communities? What contributes to that? To help us answer these questions, we welcome Denise Lovinger, Director of Outpatient Dietician Programs here at Hillsdale Hospital.
Apr 21, 2022•42 min
Recruiting has never been a hotter topic in healthcare than it is today. Hospitals across the country are plagued with staffing shortages. In addition to recruiting new staff, advancing the staff we already have is a key strategy, particularly in rural healthcare. Our guest this week is Sarah Butler, Director of Behavioral Heath Services & Nurse Practitioner here at Hillsdale Hospital.
Apr 14, 2022•34 min
This week, JJ and Rachel sit down to talk about how the rural healthcare industry will look as we start to move past the pandemic.
Apr 07, 2022•33 min
Rural hospital leaders are more than just administrators keeping their own hospitals and healthcare services running—many of them are using their voices to be rural health advocates, speaking out on issues that affect all of us in rural healthcare. We’re speaking with someone who has worked hard in his position as a rural hospital CEO to promote the needs of rural healthcare, to the benefit of all of us. Our guest this week is Steve Barnett, President & CEO of McKenzie Health System in Sandu...
Mar 31, 2022•37 min
To provide the best possible patient care in today’s environment, hospitals and healthcare providers must have a strong IT infrastructure with systems to manage and support every part of patient care, which often comes at a high cost. This week, we’re speaking with someone who has a great deal of experience navigating the IT infrastructure of hospitals and helping them to establish the right platforms and processes to optimize their workflows and ultimately provide the best care possible. Our gu...
Mar 24, 2022•55 min
