Modernizing Without Starting Over: Practical First Steps for Rural Hospitals

AHA Leadership Scan: A Series of Virtual Panel Discussions

Modernizing Without Starting Over: Practical First Steps for Rural Hospitals

Tuesday, December 15, 2026 
1 - 2 p.m. Eastern; noon - 1 p.m. Central; 10 - 11 a.m. Pacific  

To better meet patients where they are, rural and critical access hospitals are trying to modernize technology, improve interoperability, strengthen security and reduce administrative burden. However, rural hospitals face unique constraints when it comes to resources and staffing. Large-scale technology projects can be challenging for rural providers, and much of the daily work of exchanging referrals and prior authorization requests, may still rely on manual processes like paper fax, phone calls and manual scanning and filing.

In this Leadership Scan discussion, rural healthcare leaders will join experts from Concord Technologies for a candid conversation about what modernization looks like when resources are limited. Panelists will discuss why modernization doesn't have to mean replacing existing systems. Improving how information is exchanged can be a practical place to start. Moving from paper-based fax to cloud fax and digital document exchange can cut manual work and modernize communications without disrupting the workflows staff depend on.

The conversation will also look at the bigger picture: how modernizing document exchange can lay a foundation for broader interoperability, workflow automation, AI-powered document processing and future digital transformation.

Attendees Will Learn:

• The modernization pressures rural hospitals face today, and how budget, staffing and IT capacity shape implementation.
• How to decide where to start and prioritize practical changes that show results without a major new investment.
• Why moving from paper fax to cloud fax and digital document exchange can be a low-disruption first step, and what organizations have gained from making it.
• How automating fax workflows can help staff members with heavy workloads by reducing the time required to process documents. 
• How digital document exchange can set the stage for EHR integration, automated routing, AI-assisted data extraction and broader interoperability, while improving security and business continuity.

Panelists:

Kevin Hodak 
Chief Product Officer 
Concord Technologies 
 

AHA Moderator:

Suzanna Hoppszallern 
Senior Editor, Data and Research 
AHA Center for Health Innovation