Communications

(Nov. 15, 2024) – Kansas hospitals provide care 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, to ensure Kansans receive the proper care at the right place and time. Governor Laura Kelly has signed a proclamation to mark Nov. 21 as National Rural Health Day in the Sunflower State to recognize and raise awareness of Kansas' innovative rural health infrastructure.

Kansas' rural communities are a fixture in living and working in this state. Rural hospitals not only care for the health of their communities but also contribute to the economic fiber of those communities. Rural health care providers constantly face new challenges and fewer resources.

Nov. 21 will be a day to recognize some of the many challenges facing rural hospitals and celebrate the Power of Rural. Rural Kansas is an excellent place for mission-minded health professionals to provide individualized care. We hope many across the state will honor all those who go the extra mile to care for rural Kansans! To help hospitals discuss the Power of Rural, the National Organization of State Offices of Rural Health has developed a resource website: https://powerofrural.org/. It includes a promotional toolkit with key messages and data points to educate stakeholders on the realities of rural areas through stories and data.

One of the most essential ways KHA supports Kansas hospitals, including rural hospitals, is through our advocacy efforts. This week, I had the opportunity to join several Kansas hospital leaders in Washington, DC, to emphasize the policy issues that are most important to KHA members. Several important issues remain unresolved as Congress transitions to the 119th Congress in January. Chief among Congress' responsibilities will be to approve a budget through a short-term or longer-term budget resolution. KHA highlighted the need to extend several expiring health care policy provisions while avoiding any site-neutral payment schemes that would impact Kansas hospitals. We also dedicated time to discuss the concerns associated with the Medicare Advantage program and the need to protect the benefits of the 340B Drug Pricing Program. Beyond these policy issues, each congressional office heard the importance of the Critical Access Hospital program and rural emergency hospital designations.

I would like to thank the following Kansas hospital leaders for participating in our advocacy event this week: KHA Board Chair Bobby Olm-Shipman, president and CEO of Saint Luke's South Hospital, Overland Park; KHA Chair-elect George Stover, CEO of Rice Community Health, Lyons; and KHA Past Chair Carrie Lutz, CEO of Holton Community Hospital, Holton.

Lastly, I hope to see many of you next week to celebrate National Rural Health Day at our Rural Health Symposium in Wichita. This symposium aims to provide attendees with the skills, ideas and information necessary to thrive in the rapidly changing world of rural health care. Session topics include predicting financial distress, understanding the policy landscape, connecting generations, improving behavioral health access and networking with other attendees on critical issues. Register now if you have not yet registered. I hope to see you there!
--Chad Austin