Stress Test: OBBBA, Rural Fragility, and Innovation
Clinging to our old models is equivalent to waiting for failure. We need to embrace the tools, team structures, and delivery models that this ongoing crisis demands.
Scaling Virtual Care Is Both a Moral and Financial Imperative, Sanford Health Exec Says
At MedCity News’ INVEST Digital Health conference, Sanford Health’s virtual care chief Dave Newman pointed out that in rural America, virtual care often determines whether patients receive treatment at all. He described how Sanford has expanded beyond video visits to include various other modalities like e-visit questionnaires, remote monitoring and even phone consults — saving patients time and money while also closing critical care gaps.
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RCM Outsourcing: Balancing Human Expertise & Smart Technology
Greenway Health blends smart technology with human expertise to elevate revenue cycle.
Without Clear Strategy, CMS’ $50B Rural Hospital Fund Risks Falling Short
The One Big Beautiful Bill Act introduced a new $50 billion fund to offer rural hospitals a financial lifeline. One expert cautions that this effort will fail to address systemic challenges without transparency, clear metrics and long-term infrastructure investment strategies.
The Hidden Fallout of Rural Hospital Closures: Patient Care Suffers – and So Does Data Security
Across the U.S., nearly 700 rural hospitals are at risk of closure. When they shut down, the impacts cascade: broken continuity, delayed care, and increased cyber risk in every new system a patient must navigate.
Ballad Health CIO: Tech Should ‘Fade into the Background’
Pam Austin, CIO of Ballad Health, detailed how her health system is helping clinicians spend less time on screens and more time with patients.
How Badly Would Medicaid Cuts Hurt Healthcare Access in Rural America?
If the One Big Beautiful Bill Act is signed into law, it would result in a $50.4 billion reduction in federal Medicaid spending on rural hospitals over the next decade, which could put 338 rural hospitals at risk of closure, according to new analyses.
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Discover the Most Effective Aquatic Therapy Programs in Chicago Suburbs
Incorporating aquatic therapy can enhance patient outcomes and shorten recovery times for health care professionals. In the Chicago suburbs, the demand for such programs is rising.
‘Innovation Out of Necessity’: Why Virtual Care Is Crucial for Rural Providers
Virtual care isn’t just a “nice-to-have” for rural hospitals — it’s necessary to ensure patients are getting the care they need, said Dave Newman, chief medical officer of virtual care at Sanford Health.
Intermountain Health Exec: Hub-and-Spoke Models Could Save Rural Healthcare
Dan Liljenquist, Intermountain Health’s chief strategy officer, said that more large health systems should employ a hub-and-spoke model to ensure that rural providers can thrive. Under this model, large health systems partner with rural hospitals — with the rural “spoke” hospitals gaining access to the larger “hub” health system’s technology, staff, medication discounts and more.
Community Pharmacies Fill Critical Healthcare Gaps in Rural Areas — Here’s How We Can Empower and Support Them
We need to equip pharmacists with technology that can help them to make impactful clinical interventions in the pharmacy and reimburse them for these services, which would help to address the provider shortage.
Rural Healthcare Needs More Than Just Telehealth
People working the most vital occupations, like farmers and ranchers, call the most remote areas in this country home. Their health shouldn’t suffer due to their choice of employment.
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The Top EAP Companies for Mental Health Support
Employee assistance programs have become essential tools for organizations aiming to address mental health challenges, reduce burnout and foster healthier workplaces.
Why More Than 30% of Rural Hospitals Are at Risk of Closure
More than 700 hospitals across the rural U.S. are at risk of closing due to their financial woes — and for more than half of these hospitals, the risk of closure is immediate, according to a new report. The report argued this is due largely to inadequate reimbursement from health plans.
Beyond the Care Desert: Addressing the Hidden Challenges to Rural Maternal Mental Health Care
It is imperative that everyone in the care continuum knows the warning signs of peripartum depression.
Why Conditions are Ripe for Enabling Care Everywhere
5G can play a substantial role in transforming healthcare delivery by fostering care anywhere.
How Real-World Data Is Helping Close the Rural-Urban Health Divide
Real-world analysis can provide insights into how factors largely out of rural residents’ control impact health outcomes and access to medical care.
Main Street Health Rakes In $315M to Scale Value-Based Care in Rural America
Main Street Health announced the close of a $315 funding round at HLTH — some of the investors included UnitedHealthcare, Humana, Elevance, Centene and CVS. The startup, which scales value-based care in rural areas for both Medicare Advantage and original Medicare patients, also announced that it is expanding to 26 states.