The AHA and its Task Force on Ensuring Access in Vulnerable Communities today held a Capitol Hill briefing on its recently released strategies to preserve access to essential health services in vulnerable rural and urban communities. The report provides a menu of options to help hospitals based on their unique needs, support structures and preferences. Ray Montgomery, chair of the Task Force’s Rural Subcommittee and president and CEO of Unity Health White County Medical Center in Searcy, AR, and task force members Carrie Saia, RN, CEO of Holton (KS) Community Hospital, and Scott Cooper, M.D., former CEO of St. Barnabas Hospital in Bronx, NY, described the report’s findings for participants and how they arrived at the nine strategies, which range from integrating rural hospitals and health clinics to using technology to provide 24/7 care in isolated areas. “We were looking at the needs of our local communities,” said Montgomery.

Related News Articles

Headline
The AHA July 3 released the Health Care Plan Accountability Update for the second quarter of 2025. The update covers the latest developments in Medicare…
Headline
Jon Ulven, Ph.D., behavioral health psychologist and chair of adult psychology at Sanford Health, details the fragile behavioral health landscape in rural…
Headline
The Supreme Court June 27 voted 6-3 to uphold an Affordable Care Act provision creating an independent task force charged with making recommendations of…
Headline
Kevin McEwan, DNP, R.N., chief nursing officer at Madison Memorial Hospital, shares how Medicaid provides vital behavioral health and maternal and child care…
Headline
Boston Medical Center’s Jeff Schneider, M.D., associate chief medical officer, designated institutional official and chair of the Graduate Medical Education…
Perspective
In the next few days, Senate Republican leaders plan to unveil and vote on their updated reconciliation bill, which, as currently constructed, would have far-…