Am looking forward to joining CHA’s annual Rural Health Care Symposium — less than three weeks away — which provides a meaningful opportunity for California’s rural health leaders to connect, share, and learn from one another, key state lawmakers, and policy experts.
There’s still time to register for the two-day event March 23-24, open only to CHA members – click here to sign up.
California’s rural hospitals are lifelines for more than 2 million people, providing 24/7 critical health care services and serving as anchor institutions in their communities. They hold a special place in our health care delivery system and must be protected at a time when hospital leaders continue to be pressed to adapt to a more difficult environment.
While the symposium will touch on many topics, at the forefront for many is financial sustainability — communities and patients served by rural hospitals are at risk of losing vital services and in the worst cases, having their hospital close altogether. Dozens of rural hospitals in the state lose money every day caring for patients, and far too many Californians now live in health “deserts” where access to care is miles and miles away.
Policymakers representing rural communities — Sen. Shannon Grove (R-Bakersfield), Assemblymember Chris Rogers (D-Santa Rosa), and Assemblymember Esmeralda Soria (D-Merced) will join to share their perspectives on rural health care and hospital sustainability. Specifically, they plan to discuss policy priorities, legislative ideas, and potential solutions aimed at strengthening rural hospitals and improving access to care across rural California.
Another session generating high interest will provide more information about the state-federal Rural Health Transformation Program. A panel of experts will provide an overview of the California proposal and award, as well as how the Department of Health Care Access and Information will roll out the program to support rural health care initiatives across the state.
Additional sessions will cover things like next-generation care coordination, building a sustainable workforce, digital optimization, and price transparency — all with a focus on helping hospital leaders think about additional ways they can remain financially solvent.
Rural health has long been a cornerstone of the state’s health care infrastructure, and it has never been at greater risk than it is today. To make it through the rough seas ahead, two things are certain: one, creativity and innovative ideas are needed more than ever, and two, we must do these things together if we are to preserve care for rural California.
Hope to see you there.
