(April 11, 2025) – For the past two weeks, the Kansas Hospital Association has been convening meetings across the state as part of our 2025 KHA spring district tour. The gatherings have been a wonderful opportunity to connect with KHA members and discuss current and emerging issues facing Kansas hospitals. The ability to converse with our colleagues achieves several purposes, including the opportunity to learn from each other and to share experiences. Thank you again to all of our members who were able to join us.
The agenda for the latest round of district meetings followed the strategic priorities of the 2025-2027 KHA Strategic Plan. Each meeting started with a thoughtful and engaging dialogue on potential strategies to address the finance and reimbursement issues facing the KHA membership. Among the tactics considered were exploring the opportunities to create clinically integrated networks, developing resources to assist in payor relations and increasing the public awareness on the financial headwinds facing Kansas hospitals. If you haven't seen the latest financial infographics and communication tools, you can download them from the Box.com folder.
In the areas of quality and safety, attendees leaned into the topics of maternal health, vaccine resources and other statewide initiatives such as the Drive to Zero Campaign. While members shared their latest experiences on maternal health difficulties that included staff recruitment challenges and insufficient reimbursement, several hospitals highlighted their involvement and success with programs like the Fourth Trimester Initiative and the Sunflower R-MOMS program.
Attendees also had the opportunity to hear the latest on KHA's advocacy and regulatory efforts on the state and federal levels. On the federal side, members heard about the recent budget deliberations and potential policy issues being considered, including those that deal with possible Medicaid cuts as well as enhanced premium tax credits. We also discussed the legislative actions that have occurred thus far in Topeka and the need to continue educating our policymakers on the importance of investing in the Kansas health care system and protecting the 340B program.
The final strategic priority focused on the health care workforce. Members received the hot-off-the-press 2025 Health Care Workforce Report that features updated vacancy and turnover rates in Kansas, as well as data for each KHA district. Additional workforce resources were shared that highlighted the HappyInHealthCare.org website, Kansas Health Care Preceptor Academy opportunities and the latest on Health Care Apprenticeship programs. KHA also facilitated an in-depth discussion on physician recruitment and retention efforts.
We also noted several important KHA events that will occur later this year, including the 2025 Kansas Hospital Association Annual Convention and Trade Show, Mission: Possible, on Sept. 4-5 in Wichita. We greatly appreciate our KHA sponsors at the Diamond-Level: APS, KAMMCO and KHSC; and our Platinum-Level Sponsor: Qualivis.
Thanks to all of you who attended our in-person district meetings. Your participation and involvement were much appreciated! If you missed our in-person meetings, resources are now online. Don't hesitate to let us know if you have any questions or need additional assistance!
--Chad Austin