Rural Workforce Challenges and Opportunities

In this episode of "This is Rural Health," we continue our special series featuring excerpts from the 2023 California State Rural Health Association (CSRHA) annual conference.

In this episode, Steve Stark, the Regional Chief Executive Officer at American Advanced Management, discusses the challenges and opportunities facing rural healthcare workforces. Steve shares insights from his experience at Orchard Hospital, a critical access hospital facing various challenges, including natural disasters and financial instability that was exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. He shares with us the importance of strategic partnerships, the impact of reimbursement models on rural hospitals, and the innovative solutions implemented by American Advanced Management to sustain and improve healthcare access in rural communities. Through personal anecdotes and data-driven analysis, Steve provides a compelling narrative of resilience and adaptation in the face of adversity, offering valuable lessons for rural healthcare leaders and stakeholders.

What you’ll learn in this episode:

• Challenges faced by the rural healthcare workforce
• Story of Orchard Hospital's struggles and resilience
• Overview of cost-based reimbursement model
• Impact of natural disasters and pandemic on rural hospitals
• Strategic partnership with AAM
• AAM's mission to preserve access to quality care in small communities
• Success stories of hospitals revitalized by AAM
• Importance of community engagement and economic impact
• Innovative solutions for staffing and patient care
• Personal commitment to rural healthcare sustainability

The CSRHA has been a go-to resource for rural healthcare and community leaders since 1995. The CSRHA brings an accumulation of actionable insights to the next generation of rural healthcare leaders.

For more behind the scenes of this podcast follow @CSRHApodcast on Twitter or @csrha.advocate on Facebook.

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Learn more about the CSRHA at csrha.org.