|
By Kenneth Kaufman
Rural America encompasses a broad geography. Almost 20 percent of the U.S. population lives within the 84 percent of the nation’s land area that the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy (FORHP) defines as rural. But rural America is a very diverse place, and there is no single solution that will address the healthcare needs of the many people who live there. Challenges to the Future of Rural Healthcare Provider organizations in rural America are subject to the same forces that are reshaping healthcare across the nation. Demand for inpatient services is weakening as many procedures and services migrate to outpatient settings and other alternative sites of care. The aging of the Baby Boom generation is shifting payer mix away from commercial insurance to Medicare. Technological advancements are enabling new healthcare delivery models that have the potential to significantly disrupt traditional care models. These trends can have a unique or magnified impact on rural healthcare providers:
The Future of the Rural Hospital Reports on rural health often start with statistics on the number of hospitals that have closed, or are threatened by closure, in rural communities. It is true that 104 rural hospitals closed between January 2010 and April 2019. It also is true that, of these, only 63 facilities completely shut down. Five were converted to nursing or rehabilitation facilities; 16 were converted to outpatient/primary care/rural health center use; and 20 were converted to urgent or emergency care facilities. The most relevant question is not how many hospitals closed. Rather, it is whether the residents of affected communities retained access to needed healthcare services. The decision to close a hospital is never easy. There is a hospital in Streator, Ill., that OSF HealthCare has converted to serve as a rural health center. The facility in Streator, Ill., was one of the 16 closed hospitals that have been converted to outpatient, primary care, or rural health center use. The decision to close a hospital is never easy. Hospitals often are among the largest employers in a rural community, and local business and political leaders often feel a community needs a full-service hospital to attract economic development. Based on several factors, however, we believe the decision to convert the hospital to a rural health center with 24/7 emergency care will be the right decision for Streator in the long term. Here's why:
Conversion of the Streator hospital helped the community avoid the two greatest impacts associated with rural hospital closures. Conversion of the Streator facility could serve as a model for other health systems seeking to rationalize the provision of services within an owned network of rural facilities. A health system can provide clinical, financial, operational, and technological support to a rural health center. In turn, the center can serve as a spoke to the hub of larger facilities within the system’s network. Within the context of a system as a whole, a rural health center’s return on investment can be tied to downstream revenues from referrals. A health center’s focus on improving community health also can result in savings under a system’s managed or accountable care contracts. Without the backing of a health system, or the opportunity to capture downstream revenues or savings, independent rural hospitals have more limited options, particularly in communities that face both declining populations and declining inpatient volumes. One possible solution—found in both the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission’s recommendations to Congress and the bipartisan-sponsored (but not yet passed) Rural Emergency Acute Care Hospital (REACH) Act —would end the requirement that rural hospitals maintain inpatient beds to receive Medicare payments. Instead, rural hospitals could convert to stand-alone emergency departments, with the option of changing back to an inpatient hospital if circumstances change. A converted facility would still be able to offer ambulance and outpatient services, and be paid for these services as well as for emergency care. The future of the rural hospital will be brightest in areas that are experiencing population growth. In areas were population trends are flat or declining, the number of hospitals that can be sustained by the local population likely will continue to shrink. The future of those hospitals will depend on the ability of larger health systems to grow and support the conversion of facilities in their networks, or the willingness of legislators to support a more flexible model for rural healthcare facilities. Looking for your next healthcare speaker? Get in touch with us at the Capitol City Speakers Bureau today to make your healthcare event a success!
0 Comments
By Colette Carlson
Mistakes happen even under the best of circumstances. In today’s digitally-distracted, demanding world where many businesses are understaffed, mistakes happen even more frequently. A recent client shared with me that presentation binders [prepared in hopes of inking a major deal], showed up onsite an hour prior to the meeting… with a competing institution’s name on the cover. Even though this meeting took months to secure, this connected leader knew better than to make one of the costly mistakes below. Mistake #1: Shaming and Blaming. It’s not uncommon when things go wrong to be filled with emotion and look for someone to blame. Since outbursts demand little emotional control, leaders lacking emotional intelligence will often fly off the handle, yell, and shame others for their behavior. (Which is a shame, because the leader’s unprofessional behavior quickly teaches others, amongst other lessons, that it’s not okay to make a mistake.) Connected leaders, on the other hand, support solution thinking. In the above example, my client immediately engaged the marketing contact responsible, explained the predicament without pointing fingers, and as a result — stickers with the correct institution’s name were quickly placed on the binders’ covers. Mistake #2: Missing the Moment to Build Connection. If you’ve heard me speak, you may have heard me tell the story about a new server, Zoe, who dropped an over-loaded tray of cleared dishes. When her manager busted through the kitchen doors, those within earshot were surprised to see his broad smile and booming voice say, “Welcome to the club!” He encouraged her to find him during a break so he could show her “some tricks of the trade” that he had picked up over his years of restaurant service. I’m certain Zoe showed up for work the next day feeling more engaged and believing her manager has her back as a result. Plus, turning Zoe’s mistake into a coaching opportunity led to a more effective team. Similarly, a recent Washington Post article featured Hawksmoor Manchester Restaurant Co-Owner Will Beckett’s tweet. Turns out, a manager accidentally served a customer a $5,000 bottle of wine, rather than the $290 bottle ordered. “To the customer who accidentally got given a bottle of Chateau le Pin Pomerol 2001, which is £4500 on our menu, last night — hope you enjoyed your evening! To the member of staff who accidentally gave it away, chin up! One-off mistakes happen and we love you anyway.” Not only did his tweet gain 31,000 likes and priceless PR, he sent a clear message to his manager and staff that they are valuable and appreciated, regardless of an honest mistake. Mistake #3: Doing Nothing. Ignoring a mistake doesn’t make the problem go away, stay away or guarantee that the same mistake won’t be made again. Connected leaders address, rather than avoid, the issue at hand to collectively and strategically create or reinforce preventive systems. After all, mistakes that reoccur are often the result of an ineffective system, not an ineffective employee. In the case of my client, marketing and sales got together to develop a form which must be submitted for any printed projects to avoid future confusion. I recently read about a bakery that mistakenly put Noble Prize-Winning French Physicist, Marie Curie, on a birthday cake, rather than Mariah Carey (the person’s request). Hopefully, there’s a leader in charge who will leverage this mistake to build a more effective, connected team who serves up greatness to their clients and customers. Wouldn’t that be sweet. Looking for your next healthcare speaker? Get in touch with us at the Capitol City Speakers Bureau today to make your healthcare event a success! By Courtney Clark
“It’s cancer.” “You’re fired.” “I want a divorce.” Some words cause your body to go numb. Your ears buzz. You start to float above yourself. In those moments, you’re experiencing so much stress, and your body is being flooded with so much adrenaline, it can be difficult to think straight. As difficult as it may be, thinking straight is the #1 thing you can do to help yourself when you’re getting terrible news. It’s crucial, in those moments, to keep your wits about you, gather information, and maintain self-control. So how do you stay calm when you’re in the middle of receiving terrible news? Take a sip of water. It’s a tiny action, but taking a sip of water can be a great move when you receive shocking information. First, it gives you a mental break from the tough conversation. You may feel like you need a split second to close your eyes and process the information, and taking a sip of water gives you an excuse for breaking eye contact without looking “weak.” Taking a sip of water also gives you something to do with your hands, to keep them from jittering. Especially if the conversation is with someone like a boss, you want to appear composed and stoic. Having a glass of water as a prop can cover up your nerves. Stay present in the moment. It’s human nature, when getting bad news, for your thoughts to start spinning out of control. You can’t help but think about the future, and how this news will shape your life for months or years to come. Instead, keep your thoughts in the moment at hand. When you keep you mind focused, you’ll be better able to process what’s actually happening than if you allow your mind to wander to all the worst case scenarios. As this Forbes article remarks, it’s definitely best to avoid heading down the spiral of “what if…?” When you stay in the moment, you’ll be a better participant in the conversation, and you’ll remember the important information more accurately. Which dovetails perfectly with the next step… Ask questions. When I found out I had cancer, there were so many questions I wished I had asked the doctor when I was right there in front of him. Because I was so flustered at the news, I sat there in shock instead of asking smart questions. I had to email my concerns to the nurse and wait several days for a response. If you get bad news, don’t hesitate to ask as many questions as you need, rather than assuming the worst. It also helps to take notes. Many times our adrenaline keeps us from recording good memories of these tough conversations, so taking notes will help you not only focus in the moment, but also give you something to jog your memory later. Remind yourself all the ways it could be worse. We’ve been taught to believe we should think positive when we get bad news. But last week I had the honor of hearing Sheryl Sandberg, the author and Facebook executive, participate in a Q&A, and she had a different perspective. She recalled that a friend told her, after her husband Dave died, that “it could have been worse. Dave could have been driving the children when his heart gave out.” She realized that she could have lost her entire family in a single moment. By remembering that things could, in fact, be worse, we put our struggles in perspective. Take a single action. Getting bad news makes us feel powerless. We can’t control the situation, but that doesn’t mean we can’t do anything. Figure out the first action you can take to regain control, no matter how small. Through a psychological construct called “self efficacy,” taking even the smallest action helps you feel more competent and powerful. If you’ve been diagnosed with an illness, your fist step could be finding a specialist. If you’re faced with divorced, your first step could be protecting your financial information. If you’ve been let go from your job, it could be brushing up your resume. By doing what you can do, even if it doesn’t feel like much, you’re building your self efficacy for the moments ahead. Looking for your next healthcare speaker? Get in touch with us at the Capitol City Speakers Bureau today to make your healthcare event a success! By Roger Crawford. This was originally published on Roger's blog.
If you have played tennis, you’ve likely been given this advice: “One point at a time.” This expression communicates a simple yet vital idea – you have to play tennis in the moment. This concept is called mindfulness and it has applications in both our personal lives and our work.Mindfulness means focusing on the present rather than dwelling on the past or predicting the future. This practice allows you to remove distractions, increase your attention span and improve your results. You may be familiar with those grand prize draws where you don’t get the prize unless you’re on location. What is true about the drawing for a grand prize is also true in life: You have to be present to win! Here is a process I have used in my coaching sessions that I hope you find useful. It helps you to spend less time regretting the past or fearing the future. RELEASE: Letting go of the past and focusing on the present is necessary to perform at your best. If you give your attention to what you cannot change about yesterday, it’s difficult to focus on what you can change today. Releasing the past allows you to restore your strength and reinvigorate your motivation. When we let go of the past, we also let go of excuses. We all know someone who has a victim mentality today because they choose to relive disappointment and failure from their past. By placing blame and finding excuses based on our past, we relinquish the power over our present circumstances. We have all faced adversity that was outside our control. However, we can control our reactions to past experiences and that determines whether we see ourselves as a victim or victor. REFOCUS: Now that you’ve closed the chapter on the past, you can give your attention to the present moment. A present state of mind is incredibly valuable to anyone who wants to perform at their best when it matters most. When you are totally focused on what you want to achieve, your desire will be stronger than your disappointments. When you play “one point at a time” it doesn’t mean that negative thoughts and emotions won’t creep in. However, this practice gives you a way to redirect your thinking towards ideas that are more positive and productive. RESPOND: The ability to live in the moment and respond based upon your current circumstances is one of the most important factors in your success. We choose to be either reactionary or responsive. When we react to something, it happens quickly with little awareness and we relinquish control of our words and actions. On the other hand, responding is calm and thoughtful. It gives us a feeling of being in control. Reacting to circumstances tends to be automatic whereas responding is intentional. Life happens in the present. Don’t let it slip by! I am writing this on my birthday and looking forward to a slice of cake. Typically, my thoughts would be on how long I would have to work out tomorrow to burn up those calories! Not tonight. I am going to enjoy every bite! Remember, you have to be present to win! Looking for your next healthcare speaker? Get in touch with us at the Capitol City Speakers Bureau today to make your healthcare event a success! By Tim Hague Sr.
It’s that time of year where my wife gets celebrated and cheated all at the same time. Her birthday is next door to Valentines and despite my best intentions over the years she’s almost always lost out on the latter. In truth, I don’t think she’s ever really minded…all that much! While acknowledging the importance of celebrating milestones, we’ve learned over the years that it’s not the celebration of holidays, or made up holidays, that are ultimately of most importance. Residing now as we do on the north side of 30 years of marriage we’ve come to realize how easy it can be to take one another for granted. To be with one another but not be present, to not really see one another. As with so many things in life Parkinson’s has taught me a new appreciation of what it means “to be seen”. Life hasn’t turned out quite the way we planned. Thirty-four years ago, when we stood at the altar and said “in sickness and in health” neither of us had any idea that would involve a Parkinson’s diagnosis at the age of 46. Yet time and again over the course of these past eight years since diagnosis she has always been present. From the bewilderment of a new diagnosis, to the dark days of depression, early retirement at 51, the long trips away speaking, the days locked away writing, and, whenever I would reappear she would be present. She has been there in the good days and has come for me in the dark days when I have been dragged away by the ravages of this disease. She remains present and sees me. While we have each watched our idea of what life would be like slip away she has never lost sight of me; that person beyond the disease. That person who I am when all the ‘stuff’ of life has been set aside. I’m reminded of the movie Shall We Dance. It was filmed here in Winnipeg and while it’s sappy it has an incredible quote, “We need a witness to our lives. There’s a billion people on the planet, what does any one life really mean? But in a marriage, you’re promising to care about everything. The good things, the bad things, the terrible things, the mundane things, all of it, all of the time, every day. You’re saying ‘Your life will not go unnoticed because I will notice it. Your life will not go unwitnessed because I will be your witness’.” This idea goes beyond just our marriages to all our relationships. My hope this February is that you will be as blessed as I am to have someone who sees you, who chooses to be witness to your life. (Say, ‘thank you’ to them). And in turn that you will be a blessing to those around you who go unseen most every day; your Parkinson’s friend, that someone you interact with regularly but seldom see. It’s about being seen. Take the time to see someone today and in doing so… Live Your Best! Looking for your next healthcare speaker? Get in touch with us at the Capitol City Speakers Bureau today to make your healthcare event a success! By John O'Leary. This was originally posted on JohnOLearyInspires.com. When John O'Leary was 9 years old, he suffered burns over 100% of his body and was expected to die. He is now an inspirational speaker and bestselling author, teaching more than 50,000 people around the world each year how to live inspired. John's first book, ON FIRE: The 7 Choices to Ignite a Radically Inspired Life was published March 15, 2016. John is a contributing writer for Huff Post and Parade.com. John is a proud husband and father of four and resides in St. Louis, MO. Order John’s book today anywhere books are sold.
A while back, I spoke with 40 individuals for a full day seminar. The goal of the event was to bring together some of the highest achievers, connect them with one another, and together expand their businesses and their lives. I was charged with stretching their minds, encouraging bigger dreams and reminding them that anything is possible. To kick off my session I asked what they would do professionally if they knew they could not fail. After a moment of reflection, a brave gentleman stood and proudly announced, “I’d make it big. I mean, like really, really big!” I asked what “making it really, really big” meant to him? He said he wasn’t exactly sure, but he knew it included an increase in sales, expansion of personal accomplishments and significantly more success than any of his friends or former classmates. This conversation was eerily similar to one I was part of almost a decade earlier with another gentleman. He, too, had striven to “make it really big.” The difference was that the conversation wasn’t taking place in a boardroom with a lifetime of possibility in front of him, but in a hospital room with a lifetime of regrets staring back at him. Let me explain. Is Success the Right Pursuit? You see, in my late 20s I spent a several years working part-time as a hospital chaplain. One emotional visit was with a former business owner suffering from congestive heart failure. Slouched in an over-sized hospital bed, connected to various tubes and fully aware of his fatal prognosis, he talked openly and passionately about his life. He spoke of his business and its outstanding success. But he added that it had come at the cost of things that mattered even more to him. He spoke disconsolately about his youth, his family, his health and how he had lost each of them through choices he made along the way. We visited for over an hour, and one of the final things he shared impacted me so deeply that I wrote it down in my journal that night. He said, “John, I spent a lifetime sprinting up the success-ladder.” He looked away from me and out the window, before adding, “only to discover I had the darn thing leaned against the wrong wall.” My friend, I coach individuals to discover passion, live vibrantly and make a difference. I partner with organizations to increase top line revenue and bottom line profit. I speak with sales teams to encourage greater results and passion for what they do. And I serve hospitals to improve employee engagement in order to elevate patient satisfaction and outcomes. The point is that I love growth! The reminder from this story, however, is that not only should our lives be a journey toward continual progress, impact and success, but that these goals must be achieved in accordance with our values, our principles and what matters most in our lives. Nothing could be more painful than to gain the world at the expense of losing the very things that matter most. Why Pursuing a Life of Significance Matters My friends, I invite you today to make it big. I encourage you to climb high as a teacher, to soar as a salesperson, to expand as a business owner and to thrive as an employee. Choose to sprint toward significance rather than success and decide to thrive in life. Just make sure the goals you’re charging toward are advancing you toward a life of true significance and not one of regret. Before continuing your rapid climb, take pause long enough to ensure the ladder you’re climbing is leading you up the right wall. Because if you don’t change direction, you may end up exactly where you are heading. Today is your day. Live Inspired. Looking for your next healthcare speaker? Get in touch with us at the Capitol City Speakers Bureau today to make your healthcare event a success! By Karyn Buxman. This was originally published on Karyn's blog.
So, you want to make people laugh, huh? That’s easy! Okay, maybe not. But don’t worry! I’m here to help. Let’s dive into some scenarios and I’ll give you some things to keep in mind before your meeting, performance, company party, or whatever you’ve got going on! There are a lot of steps to leveraging other people’s laughter. So, let’s break it down. What’s the setting?
Be sure to keep in mind:
Before letting all of your family holiday party jokes fly, consider your audience. If you have to think about whether or not something is appropriate—play it safe and leave it out. You’re a creative person! Find a better alternative. Details, Details, Details! Don’t forget about the details! There are plenty of nuances in your setting. Here are some key things to keep in mind: Nuances:
One of the biggest keys in getting people to laugh, especially in a group setting, is to make sure they can see each other. Whenever possible, make sure you leverage the seating so that people can make eye contact with other people. Why?? Because laughter is contagious! Trust me. It makes things SO much easier. Our brains contain mirror neurons and when we can see others smile and laugh, we automatically respond in kind. And when we hear laughter—even if we don't know why others are laughing—we begin to laugh as well (thus the science behind sitcom laugh tracks). If you keep these factors in mind—then the next time someone in your audience starts to bust up laughing, you’ll quickly have your whole audience belly laughing! IMPORTANT NOTE: You don’t want people to be TOO comfortable. For example, a group of people that just ate a huge meal maybe had a couple of drinks, and are ready for a nap…probably not the right audience! They’re just focused on getting back to their Puffy Lux. Make sure you and the audience are in the right state of mind. You want a crowd to have energy that you can harness and turn that into laughter! Tap into their pain Now, the pain has to be something they’re emotionally detached from. It's a bit of a delicate balance. Zero discomfort will result in indifference. However, if it sparks a threat response, the humor will fall flat. For example - The lack of parking in your organization.
"Here at Acme Corp, "getting lucky" means finding a parking place!" Weave some things in that come with a little bit of pressure. Leverage the pressure and give them release. Boom! You just successfully leveraged laughter! Looking for your next healthcare speaker? Get in touch with us at the Capitol City Speakers Bureau today to make your healthcare event a success! By Amy Dee
I was sixteen when my family vacationed in Cartageña, Columbia. The first evening, we strolled along the pristine beach, enjoying the brilliant sunset and roar of the ocean when we suddenly heard cries of help. A man and two women frantically screamed as waves crashed over them, and the tide dragged them further from the shore. An Australian man tore off his shoes and dived into the ocean. He rescued the drowning man, and my dad saved one of the women. There were no lifeboats or lifeguards and tragically the third victim was too far into the ocean for anyone to reach. Powerless and horrified, we watched this helpless woman struggle against the surge until a final crest stole her away. It was heartbreaking. Still in shock, we met the Australian man and his wife at the hotel restaurant the following morning. As we rehashed the tragedy, I recall the Australian telling us that he swam in the ocean daily. He warned us that powerful riptide could quickly pull a swimmer to their death. He added this advice: “If caught in a riptide, never swim against the tide because you will tire quickly and be pulled into the sea. Instead, swim with the tide, parallel to the shore. It will save your strength, and you will eventually swim out of it.” Recently my friend and I were commiserating on the slop bucket of difficulties that seems to have dumped into our lives. “Between my family’s issues, my problems at work, and my husband bad health I wonder if I have a target painted on my head!” she laughed, wiping away a tear. Haven’t we all felt this way at one time or another? Of course, we don’t actually believe that an unknown force is out to get us. But it can be overwhelming when problems pile up. We can feel victimized over and again. Let’s make the analogy that life is like a swim in the ocean. One moment you are frolicking in the sunshine filled with happiness, feeling that delightful high. The next minute a riptide shows up. Maybe an uninsured, unemployed teenager smashed into your parked car. Perhaps in a heated moment (after a few glasses of wine), you told off your nasty sister-in-law, and now the family reunion is canceled because of you. Or, your company headquarters is moving to the bowels of New Jersey, and you just built your midwestern country dream home. Or, during your morning shower you felt a suspicious lump on your breast. Whatever the difficulty, the riptide of complications has smacked you in the face and yanked you into a sea of gloom. If caught in a riptide, stop fighting. Instead, try the following:
Have faith that no storm will last forever and beyond the clouds lies your rainbow. Looking for your next healthcare speaker? Get in touch with us at the Capitol City Speakers Bureau today to make your healthcare event a success! |
Archives
June 2024
Categories
All
|
RSS Feed