Rural issues
The 2026 AHA Rural Health Care Leadership Conference, February 8-11 in San Antonio, will gather more than 1,000 rural health leaders committed to advancing rural health and providing quality care for patients and communities. The conference will feature top rural practitioners sharing actionable…
Maintaining a trained workforce is one of the greatest challenges facing rural hospitals today. In Alabama, the shortage is particularly and increasingly severe, especially when it comes to nurses. East Alabama Health is addressing the problem in multiple ways.
Clifton-Fine Hospital in St. Lawrence County, N.Y., adjacent to the Canadian border, was long challenged by low patient numbers and an outdated, cramped emergency room so small and crowded that staff struggled to treat multiple patients with space or privacy.
In this Advancing Health encore episode, Josh Neff, CEO of CommonSpirit Mercy Hospital, discusses a new cutting-edge communication platform that sends patient EKGs directly from the ambulance to the cardiologist in real time.
As health-care workforce shortages deepen nationwide, many of the most practical, scalable solutions are emerging not from large urban systems, but from rural communities willing to rethink how talent is developed, supported and retained.
The AHA will host a webinar Feb. 13 at noon ET on the unique funding challenges and opportunities for rural health organizations. Participants will learn about the AHA’s support services for grant planning, prospecting and proposal writing.
The American Hospital Association has a wealth of media and educational resources available to rural hospitals and health systems. Here you will find the latest podcasts, webinars, toolkits, and more.
Health care experts and leaders from across the country presented sessions that offered conference attendees practical and adaptable solutions to issues such as workforce development and retention, community partnerships, cybersecurity, and maternal and child health.
Michelle Hood, AHA executive vice president and COO, and Bill Gassen, president and CEO of Sanford Health in Sioux Falls, S.D., and chair-elect designate of the AHA Board of Trustees, led a fireside chat on the realities of shepherding rural hospitals through disruption and driving meaningful…
Capitol Hill was the focus of the second morning of the AHA 2026 Rural Health Care Leadership Conference, taking place through tomorrow in San Antonio.