MHA's Center for Rural Health

Health IT resource targets rural providers

The Rural Assistance Center and National Rural Health Resource Center have launched an online resource to help rural health care providers plan and implement health information technology. Developed with funding from the Department of Health and Human Services' Office of Rural Health Policy, the HIT Toolkit includes information on funding, training, legislation and other federal resources.

For more information, see the news release.

[ via AHA News Now ]

MHA hosting webinar on Chargemaster for Critical Access Hospitals

The Mississippi Hospital Association is hosting a two-part series on Chargemaster for Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs).

CAHs are cost-based reimbursed so coding, billing and,associated reimbursement differ from PPS hospitals. The coding and billing process, along with the chargemaster and development of the cost-report, are critical.

A differentphilosophical approach to the chargemaster is needed with due consideration to CMS coding and billing requirements. The first part of the series is Feb. 21 from 1:00 – 2:30 pm, and the second part is set for  March 20 from 1:00 – 2:30 pm.

The registration fee for each is $175 for members and $325 for non-members. (The cost is for one connection fee, so multiple employees can benefit from the one registration cost.) The instructor will be Duane Abbey. Register online here. For more information, contact Karen Hargett at (601) 368.3263 or khargett@mhanet.org. 

AHA small/rural section names leaders

Congratulations to Alvin Hoover, CEO of King's Daughters Medical Center in Brookhaven. He has been named the chair-elect of the American Hospital Association's Section for Small or Rural Hospitals in 2012.  He will become chairman in 2013.

Staci Covey, president of Guthrie Healthcare System’s Troy (PA) Community Hospital, will lead the section this year. Covey will chair the section's governing council, which represents small or rural hospitals in the AHA’s policy process and member services initiatives. She is past chair of the Hospital & Healthsystem Association of Pennsylvania’s Council for Small and Rural Hospitals and serves as a governor-appointed member on the Pennsylvania Health Care Leadership Council.

For more on the section's governing council, see the AHA news release.

MedPAC discusses rural payment report

The Medicare Payment Advisory Commission on Jan. 13 discussed its mandated report on rural health care provider payment adequacy, due to Congress in June. The commission discussed access to services, quality of care, payment adjustments and payment adequacy in rural areas, stating that Medicare’s rural payment policy has largely been successful.

The commissioners mostly favored including several guiding principles for special rural payments in the final report, rather than specific recommendations. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act requires MedPAC to evaluate access to care, quality of care, special rural payments and the adequacy of Medicare payments to providers in rural areas.

[ via AHA News Now ]

Location, Location, Location

Recruiting physicians to rural hospitals is a perennial struggle. However, some organizations are winning over physicians with an array of incentives and board support.

Read more from Trustee magazine here.

Reinventing Rural Health Care

Rural hospitals are confronting many daunting challenges in the changing health care landscape. Fortunately, there appears to be a growing openness to reinvent rural health among community leaders and hospital CEOs across the country. Read more from Hospitals & Health Networks here.