The 2009 Rural Health Care Leadership Conference focuses on proven strategies for accelerating performance excellence and improving the sustainability of rural hospitals.

The country’s attention is riveted by the 2008 presidential election.  In hospitals and communities across America, health care executives and consumers alike weigh the prospects for health care reform. But few expect real change to come from Washington in the near term.  And rural hospital leaders aren’t waiting.  At this year’s Conference you’ll be inspired by the stories of rural and community hospitals that are figuring out how to compete successfully on high quality and low cost.  You’ll discover how hospitals leaders are working to drive out waste, improve accountability and transparency, and boost staff engagement in quality and safety activities.  Change is happening in rural communities.  Despite the long odds.

We’ll take a look at the many difficult operational challenges you face – from successful implementation of information technology with scarce financial resources and staffing expertise, to the new expectations of your institution to comply with the revised IRS Form 990 and Schedule H, to the complex question of how to finance and manage the replacement of aging and outdated facilities.

With the recruitment and retention of skilled personnel a perennial concern for rural providers, fresh approaches and perspectives on how to attract and keep top talent are an imperative. You’ll hear about the latest research and new initiatives that are transforming care delivery and revitalizing the workforce. Learn what new and modified medical staff models might best position your organization to lure top talent as the physician shortage looms. We’ll also examine the connection between healthy organizational cultures, high performance, and employee engagement.  And you’ll come to understand how truly collaborative and influential leadership contributes to the development of rewarding and supportive practice environments—and improved patient care and service.

In sessions dedicated to issues in rural hospital governance, we’ll focus on how hospital boards are increasingly being held accountable for more than just the financial health of the organization.  We’ll scrutinize the trustee competencies that can lead to greater governing board performance and accountability in determining the future direction of the organization. Your board will enhance its ability to make the right strategic decisions and inspire organizational excellence. 

Plan to arrive early to enjoy Phoenix and then join us on Sunday afternoon for two opportunities to dive deeper into individual and organizational performance improvement topics.  This year’s event offers participants two pre-conference workshops options. You may choose to gain practical help on how to implement the patient safety practices of voluntary medication error reporting and organizational learning to improve the safety of medication use in small rural hospitals.  Or in the second workshop, explore the shifting line between management and governance with guidance on finding the right balance for boards between microgovernance and strategic governance.  Both workshops afford numerous opportunities for interaction between participants and our faculty, and they will add great value to your conference experience.

Still going strong after more than two decades, the Rural Health Care Leadership Conference brings a unique focus on innovative ideas, thoughtful insights, and proven strategies for improving rural hospitals and developing rural health care leaders. 

Who Should Attend

Leadership is not a solo act.  Plan to attend this conference with leadership teams of:

• Rural Hospital CEOs, Administrators and System Executives
• Board Members
• Nursing and Physician Executives
• Public Health and Community Leaders
• Executives of Rural Health Care Associations and Networks

Benefits of Attending

• Gain strategies for achieving peak performance in an environment of shrinking resources, changing hospital-physician relations, and increased consumer expectations.
• Learn how highly collaborative, values-driven cultures translate into sustained competitive advantage and enhanced employee ownership, as well as improved quality, patient safety and service excellence.
• Explore the leadership practices and trustee competencies that are emerging as critical to effective governance functioning.
• Examine the dynamics of information technology, clinical quality and business performance improvement efforts, understanding which IT practices and innovations are best suited for the rural environment.
• Discover the key competencies required for exemplary leadership and learn specific tools to help your organization more fully develop the potential of its leaders.