State of the Healthcare Industry: Markey Updates for Rural Strategy

January 5, 2024

State of the Healthcare Industry: Markey Updates for Rural Strategy

The National Organization of State Offices of Rural Health (NOSORH), in partnership with Stroudwater Associates is conducting a series of quarterly market updates for rural healthcare stakeholders to stay current on the changes in the healthcare marketplace and strategize responses to ensure vital services for rural communities.

By the end of these sessions, participants will be able to:

  • Understand new regulations and laws that have occurred during the last 90 days
  • Describe the current market dynamics of the healthcare industry
  • Evaluate the effects of these trends on rural providers
  • Apply this understanding to their own organization

Who Should Attend:

  • State Offices of Rural Health
  • Rural Hospitals
  • Primary care practices
  • Non-profit organization
  • Rural philanthropy organizations
  • Policymakers
  • Government agencies
  • Other rural health stakeholders

When:

  • January 18, 2024, 3 pm ET

Register Here

Upcoming Webinar – Make Clinic Training Stick

January 4, 2024

Upcoming Webinar – Make Clinic Training Stick

This one-hour Executive Briefing is designed for healthcare managers and leaders. Let Brian Lee, CSP, HoF be your guide to hardwiring a culture focused on 5 star Patient Experience with Everyone’s a Caregiver®.

Make clinic training stick by empowering your providers and caregivers to deliver a thoughtful, timely patient experience, every time.

Why You Should Attend:

  • Learn best practices and skills to improve and own your patient experience scores
    • Improve patient satisfaction scores and low Google ratings
  • Enhance your onboarding and retention process by educating new hires with 17 must-have patient experience communication skills
    • Inspire new hires
    • Reduce mentor training hours
  • Boost employee engagement while learning together and sharing ideas
    • Energize your staff
  • Meet your patients’ expectations every time
  • Become a patient relationship expert and learn how to train your staff as patient relationship experts

When: Monday, January 22, 8 PM/9 M/10 C/ 11E

Register Here

Webinar – Resources for Planning Rural Training for Doctors – Wednesday, January 17 at 12:00 pm ET

January 2, 2024

Webinar – Resources for Planning Rural Training for Doctors – Wednesday, January 17 at 12:00 pm ET

In this one-hour session, experts will provide background information on Section 126 of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 – the federal legislation that creates positions (also known as slots) for physician residencies in underserved areas. The hospitals selected for these federally paid positions are being determined by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) in a five-year process that will distribute 200 new residency slots each year.

This session, hosted by the FORHP-supported program that helps hospitals plan and develop rural residencies will feature representatives from CMS to discuss the application process for Round Three, with a focus on considerations for rural hospitals interested in expanding rural residency training.

Recently, researchers from FORHP’s program released analysis of the 99 hospitals that were awarded slots in Round Two to determine rural location of new physician placements – whether sites were rural as defined by CMS or by FORHP – and the time they are planning to train in these locations. Only three programs were found to be training their residents for 50 percent of the time or greater, in a CMS or FORHP rurally located area.

When: Wednesday, January 17, 12:00 p.m. ET

Register Here

NRHA Webinar – Latest CMS Updates and The Most Frequent Findings in Rural Health Care

December 19, 2023

NRHA Webinar – Latest CMS Updates and The Most Frequent Findings in Rural Health Care

CMS certification is not only necessary for CAHs and RHCs to receive Medicare and Medicaid payments, but also for payment from many private insurers and participation in Federal grants. Preparation for a CMS survey is critically important for CAHs and RHCs, as adverse CMS and survey outcomes can result in termination of your CMS certification.

Rural hospitals and rural health clinics have unique challenges, such as limited resources.

Join the National Rural Health Association (NRHA) on Tuesday, January 16, 2024, to hear from former CMS surveyor, John Berry, about the latest updates affecting rural hospitals and rural health clinics and the most cited CMS CfCs and CoPs.

After attending this webinar, participants will be able to:

  • Discuss CMS QSO Memos and Notifications affecting rural hospitals
  • Most frequent CMS findings in CAHs
  • Most frequent CMS findings in RHCs

When: Tuesday, January 16, 2024, 2:00 – 3:00 pm CST

Click here to register

NRHA Webinar – Navigating Change: Strategies for Critical Access Hospitals in a Rising Rate Environment

December 19, 2023

NRHA Webinar – Navigating Change: Strategies for Critical Access Hospitals in a Rising Rate Environment

In today’s evolving landscape, Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) face pressing challenges requiring substantial financial investments. This study delves into the complexities of securing resources for:

  • Securing resources for CAHs
  • Factoring in interest rates
  • Project costs
  • Cash flow
  • Cost-based payments

An analysis reveals that, despite the backdrop of rising interest rates and construction costs, current trends should not deter CAHs from pursuing long-term capital investments. The reimbursement system acts as a safeguard, softening the impact of market fluctuations on rural healthcare.

Join Stroudwater Capital Partners CEO, Brian Haapala, to explore project sizing, early investments, and the advantages of the cyclical interest rate cycle for your organization’s benefit. Discover how to address the unique needs of rural healthcare amidst a rapidly changing financial environment.

When: Wednesday, January 17, 2:00 – 3:00 pm CST

Click here to register

NRHA Webinar – Safe by Design: ER Designs to Accommodate Behavior Issues

December 19, 2023

NRHA Webinar – Safe by Design: ER Designs to Accommodate Behavior Issues

Emergency rooms serve as a single-entry point for a variety of patients into a hospital. From sick children and expecting mothers to victims of violent crime and traumatic incidents, the ER has to accommodate a wide range of needs, and increasingly, this includes behavioral health patients.

Intentional design is critical to the overall safety of hospital staff, patients, and visitors. When designing Emergency Rooms for behavioral health patients, preserving security for patients and staff, security should be the number one priority.

Crucial security considerations during design include:

  • Direct linking of the ED to the behavioral health ward
  • Controlling access to all spaces
  • Anti-ligature and tamper-proof features
  • Limiting or enhancing patient privacy with clear sight lines depending on patient acuity
  • Administration of bathroom access
  • Designing nurse stations close by the ED holding rooms

These elements and more will be discussed in this lecture by two subject-matter experts, Connor Crist and Megan Vaeth.

When: Tuesday, January 23, 2:00 – 3:00 pm CST

Click here to Register

NRHA Webinar – Finding Financial Support for Prescription Medications and Understanding the Medicare Reforms to Lower Out-of-Pocket Costs

December 28, 2023

NRHA Webinar – Finding Financial Support for Prescription Medications and Understanding the Medicare Reforms to Lower Out-of-Pocket Costs

The inability to pay for essential medical care is not just a significant problem for the uninsured but also for people who have health insurance. Recent polling by the Kaiser Family Foundation finds that 47% of U.S. adults said it is very or somewhat difficult to afford their healthcare costs, and about 50% said they would be unable to pay a $500 unexpected medical bill without borrowing money.

This is where the PAN Foundation comes in – to serve as a critical safety net for hundreds of thousands of underinsured patients each year. As an independent, national 501(c)(3) organization, PAN helps people across the country get the medications and treatments they need by assisting with their out-of-pocket costs and advocating for improved access, affordability, and equity for all.

Join PAN’s Chief Advocacy and Engagement Officer, Amy Niles, as she explores the important role PAN plays every day in connecting patients with the lifesaving care they need and deserve. During this webinar, Amy will walk through how healthcare providers and pharmacists can help their eligible patients find and apply for grants through PAN’s easy-to-use application process. Finally, Amy will review Medicare reforms, now law, that will lower costs for people on Medicare.

Attendees will walk away from this webinar with a better understanding about:

  • The role of charitable foundation assistance programs and why they are needed
  • How to connect patients with assistance through PAH’s disease specific funds
  • The Medicare reforms enacted through the Inflation Reduction Act (August 2022) that will improve access to care for millions of people on Medicare

When: Thursday, January 25, 1:00 – 3:00 pm CST

Click here to register

 

NRHA Webinar – Developing a Strong Threat Management and Governance Program in Rural Healthcare and Beyond

December 28, 2023

NRHA Webinar – Developing a Strong Threat Management and Governance Program in Rural Healthcare and Beyond

In today’s complex healthcare landscape, effective threat management stands as a vital element in delivering quality care. Join our tailored webinar crafted for rural healthcare executives to explore essential practices in threat management and governance controls.

Gain insights and practical strategies to fortify security measures, protect patient data, and ensure the resilience of healthcare systems in rural settings.

Learning Objectives

  • Identify and assess the distinct threat landscape in rural healthcare settings, understanding the specific challenges and vulnerabilities faced.
  • Explore practical best practices in proactive threat management, focusing on identification, assessment, and mitigation of risks in rural healthcare systems.
  • Implement effective governance control measures tailored for rural healthcare organizations to ensure compliance and robust security protocols.
  • Acquire actionable strategies and tools to strengthen cybersecurity resilience, addressing prevalent challenges of data breaches and cyber threats in rural healthcare contexts.
  • Integrate a comprehensive understanding of threat management into rural healthcare operations, empowering executives to fortify security measures and maintain quality care standards in their unique settings.

When: Tuesday, January 30, 2:00 – 3:00 pm CST

Click here to register

NRHA Webinar – Finding Financial Support for Prescription Medications and Understanding the Medicare Reforms to Lower Out-of-Pocket Costs

December 5, 2023

NRHA Webinar – Finding Financial Support for Prescription Medications and Understanding the Medicare Reforms to Lower Out-of-Pocket Costs

The inability to pay for essential medical care is not just a significant problem for the uninsured but also for people who have health insurance. Recent polling by the Kaiser Family Foundation finds that 47% of U.S. adults said that it is very or somewhat difficult to afford their healthcare costs, and about 50% said they would be unable to pay a $500 unexpected medical bill without borrowing money. That is where the PAN Foundation comes in—to serve as a critical safety net for hundreds of thousands of underinsured patients each year. As an independent, national organization, PAN helps people across the country get the medications and treatments they need by assisting with their out-of-pocket costs and advocating for improved access, affordability, and equity for all.

Join PAN’s Chief Advocacy and Engagement Officer, Amy Niles, as she explores the important role PAN plays every day in connecting patients with the lifesaving care they need and deserve.

During this webinar, Amy will walk through how healthcare providers and pharmacists can help their eligible patients find and apply for grants through PAN’s easy-to-use application process. Finally, Amy will review Medicare reforms, now law, that will lower costs for people on Medicare.

Attendees will walk away from this webinar with a better understanding about:

  • The role of charitable foundation assistance programs and why they are needed
  • How to connect patients with assistance through PAN’s disease-specific funds
  • The Medicare reforms enacted through the Inflation Reduction Act (August 2022) that will improve access to care for millions of people on Medicare

When: Thursday, January 25, 1:00 – 3:00 pm CST

Register Here

Webinar – Latest CMS Updates and the Most Frequent Findings in Rural Health Care

December 5, 2023

Webinar – Latest CMS Updates and the Most Frequent Findings in Rural Health Care

CMS Certification is not only necessary for Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) and Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) to receive Medicare and Medicaid payments, but also for payment from many private insurers and participation in Federal grants. Preparation for a CMS survey is critically important for CAHs and RHCs, as adverse CMS survey outcomes can result in termination of your CMS Certification. Rural hospitals and rural health clinics, in particular, have unique challenges, such as limited resources.

Set your organization up for a successful survey and join this webinar to hear from a former CMS surveyor about the latest updates affecting rural hospitals and rural health clinics and the most commonly cited CMS CfCs and CoPs.

After the webinar, attendees will be able to:

  • Discuss CMS QSP Memos and Notifications affecting rural hospitals
  • Most frequent CMS findings in CAHs
  • Most frequent CMS findings in RHCs

When: Tuesday, January 16, 2024, 2:00 – 3:00 p.m.

Register Here