Podcasts: LIVE from NRHA's Rural Health Policy Institute

Welcome, guest of honor! Join the conversation with your fellow healthcare colleagues as we record live from the 30th NRHA Rural Health Policy Institute!

The MEDHOST podcast team is live from Washington, D.C. for the largest rural advocacy event in the country. If you were unable to attend or want to expand on what you learned, these off-the-cuff interviews are a valued add-on to your continued education.

Senior VP of NRHA Brock Slabach joined us in the NRHA 2019 podcast lounge to share the three areas of work he and the organization believe are the future to saving rural health: looking at new payment models, new provider types and the modernization of rural community infrastructure.

Adam Strom, Health Care Consulting Manager at Eide Bailly in Minneapolis, Minnesota visited with us in the podcast lounge at NRHA 2019 and shared why he looks forward to attending rural health conferences like NRHA. He also offered ways urban and suburban communities can understand more about the obstacles faced by rural health care providers.

Kim Tieman, Program Director of Health and Human Services with the Benedum Foundation sat down with us in the NRHA 2019 podcast lounge to explain how networking at conferences like NRHA has given her access to federal officers at cross branches of government to engage with. She said understanding what's happening at the federal policy level allows her to return home to rural health communities with ideas on how to improve and prepare for what's to come next.

NRHA CEO Alan Morgan joined us in the podcast lounge at NRHA 2019 to offer a unique perspective on the push to save rural health. He reminds us that despite the numerous challenges and obstacles faced by these communities, innovation is still happening in rural America, with creative new models of care, delivery of services and new technologies emerging every day.

Director of Government Affairs for the National Association of Rural Health Clinics, Nathan Baugh sat to talk with us in the podcast lounge at NRHA 2019 about the challenges that rural hospitals face, and how he's working to change the outdated laws that perpetuate the problem. He also shares his views on value over volume.

Lacey Tucker, Institute for Translational Research Scholar, joined us in the NRHA 2019 podcast lounge to share her thoughts on the need to influence policy to address the systemic problems facing rural health communities today.

Wendy Welch, Executive Director of the Graduate Medical Education Consortium joined us in the podcast lounge at NRHA 2019 to share the stories some just don't want to hear. She discussed the crushing effects opioid addiction has on rural communities and advocates strongly that the solution to many problems may just reside in the community itself.

Beth O'Connor, Executive Director of Virginia Rural Health Association, sat down with us in the NRHA 2019 podcast lounge to share her plans to meet with lawmakers on the Hill, for the thirteenth year in a row. She offered her advice that one benefit of living in a rural community can be the ability to connect with partners, neighbors and other community leaders faster and more effectively than in larger, urban areas.

NRHA's former president Tommy Barnhart joined us in the podcast lounge at NRHA 2019 with a reminder that rural health goes beyond just access to a hospital, but also includes factors such as education, transportation, housing and economic development. He discussed the need to remain nimble and dynamic in rolling out new models for healthcare delivery and payments for rural communities to protect the access point and services they provide.

US Senator(VA), Tim Kaine, shares his thoughts on what it takes to save rural healthcare in America and emphasizes the need for advocates and expertise from the healthcare workforce.

Ryan Kelly, Executive Director of Mississippi and Alabama's Rural Health Associations, joined us in the NRHA Rural Health Policy Institute podcast lounge to share what he believes is the biggest challenge facing rural community hospitals - the funding mechanisms behind them. He discusses his plans on taking the message to lawmakers and working together to find a better solution.

John Gale, Senior Research Associate with Maine Rural Health Research Center visited the NRHA 2019 podcast lounge to discuss how the recent closures of rural community hospitals has affected healthcare system as a whole, and why it's time to start thinking realistically and creatively about what it means to run a small hospital. He also shared why it's critical the rural communities engage with their local hospitals as service entities.

CEO of Healthy Neighbor Aaron Bland joined us in the podcast lounge at NRHA 2019 to discuss some of the challenges faced by rural communities, particularly in regards to access to proper healthcare information. He also shared his belief that it's up to the younger generations of doctors and healthcare professionals to bring their knowledge and experience back to the older generations within their community as a means of preventative health.