This week on Rural Health Leadership Radio we are talking about how health care is a core function of the community and how it defines that community. We are having that conversation with Dr. John Cullen, Board Chair of the American Academy of Family Physicians, and a full scope family physician practicing in the frontier community of Valdez, Alaska.
“Health care is really one of those core functions of a community. That’s sort of what defines what a community is.”
~ Dr. John Cullen, MD
John Cullen, M.D. is part of a four-physician private clinic, the Valdez Medical Clinic, that he has been a part of since 1994.
A graduate of University of Arizona School of Medicine, he moved to Valdez, Alaska immediately after family medicine residency in Modesto, California. His family was drawn to the quality of life in Alaska and it proved to be an exciting place to practice medicine and raise his daughter and two sons. Serving as Chief of Staff for over twenty years at the Valdez Medical Center, he oversaw the expansion of the hospital. In addition, he has served as the EMS director in Valdez for 23 years.
His passion for skiing and wilderness safety landed him positions as physician for the World Extreme Skiing Championships and the King of the Hill Snowboarding championships in Valdez where he was responsible for setting up emergency services on the side of a mountain.
Alaska Academy activities include terms as Chapter President, and nineteen years as COG delegate or alternate. Honors include Alaskan Family Physician of the Year in 2008, runner up for the National AAFP Physician of the Year, and 2011 American Red Cross Hero for saving a mother and baby in an icy river car crash.
Experience serving on the National Advisory Committee on Rural Health and Human Services for HRSA, where he toured the country evaluating critical access hospitals and rural health systems, as well as serving on the Alaska State Medical Board, allowed him to help shape health care policy as the ACA was developed. He enjoys speaking and advocating for patients on the national stage almost as much as he enjoys his adventurous life with his wife Michelle over the past 30 years.
This week on Rural Health Leadership Radio we are talking about foundations of wellness. We are having that conversation with Bill Reger-Nash, EdD, Professor Emeritus, at the School of Public Health, West Virginia University.
“Mindfulness is learning to be more present moment by moment nonjudgmentally and all of us could use a good dose in being more aware and more present.”
~Bill Reger-Nash, EdD
Dr. Bill Reger-Nash is professor emeritus in the WVU School of Public Health. He has a doctoral degree in exercise physiology (1984) from West Virginia University and master’s degrees in educational psychology (1973) and political science (1974) from the University of Hawaii. He was an undergraduate French Major (Marist College 1965). He worked as a high school French teacher, school guidance counselor, research coordinator at a hospital Cardiac and Wellness Center, executive director of the Bayer Community Wellness Program, Director of Wellness for Ohio Valley Health Services and Education in West Virginia and eastern Ohio, and was the founding director of the West Virginia University Wellness Program. He coached football, basketball, track, soccer, and sailing.
Given his interest in population issues, Bill ran for and was elected to the West Virginia House of Delegates in 1985. Human Kinetics published his mindfulness-based Foundations of Wellness in 2015. He taught wellness and stress management courses at West Virginia University since 1991. Bill began a regular meditation practice as a religious monk in 1959 to help manage stress, increase inner peace, and keep his life in balance.
Bill and his wife Jan have a daily mindfulness practice. He enjoys spending time in the outdoor cross-country skiing, sailing, bicycling, walking in the woods, and gardening.
This week on Rural Health Leadership Radio we are talking about breaking the intergenerational cycles of poverty and education, and any other continuous cycle that has a negative impact on health and wellbeing. We are having that conversation with Dr. Randy Wykoff, Dean of the College of Public Health, and Director of the Center for Rural Health Research, at East Tennessee State University.
“If we can’t break the intergenerational cycles of poverty, we’re not going to be effective in improving rural health.”
~Randy Wykoff, MD
Randy Wykoff, MD, MPH & TM became the founding dean, College of Public Health at East Tennessee State University in 2006. He is a physician, board-certified in both Pediatrics and Preventive Medicine, with additional training and certification in Tropical Medicine. He teaches courses in Social Justice, Public Health Leadership, and in various aspects of applied public health, and he lectures extensively on the social determinants of health.
His research focuses on the inter-relationship of poverty and health, with a specific interest in how to improve the health status of people living in poor and/or rural areas. In 2019, he was asked to Direct the newly created Center for Rural Health Research.
Prior to his current position, he served as Senior Vice President for International Operations at Project HOPE, overseeing health education, disaster response, and humanitarian programs in over 30 countries around the world.
He previously served as the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Health (Disease Prevention and Health Promotion) in the US Department of Health and Human Services. In this position, he oversaw the release and implementation of Healthy People 2010, and the Surgeon General’s first Call to Action to Prevent and Decrease and Overweight and Obesity, and served for one year as the acting Executive Director of the President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sport.
He served for 11 years at the Food and Drug Administration, holding the positions of Associate Commissioner for AIDS and Special Health Issues, and, later, Associate Commissioner for Operations. In this latter capacity, he served for 18 months as the deputy to the Acting Commissioner. While at FDA, he also led the Science Team for the Tobacco Working Group, served as the Executive Director of the National Task Force on AIDS Drug Development, and completed a detail with Senator Edward Kennedy and the Senate Labor and Human Resources Committee. He began his career as District Medical Director of the Upper Savannah Health District in the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control, responsible for all public health activities in a rural six-county region.
He and his wife, Janine, have five children.
This week on Rural Health Leadership Radio we are talking about bridging the divide between behavioral health and physical health to promote access across the care continuum. We are having that conversation with Chris Molaro, CEO & Co-Founder of NeuroFlow.
“We try to solve the problem of access and engagement with behavioral healthcare.”
~Chris Molaro
Chris Molaro is the CEO and co-founder of NeuroFlow, a digital health technology and analytics company promoting behavioral health access and engagement in all care settings. Chris is a West Point graduate who served in the army for 5 years, including a tour of duty in Iraq as a platoon leader. Coming back home, he experienced firsthand the gaps in the behavioral health systems and how veterans and civilians alike face too many barriers when it comes to receiving appropriate, timely care.
Chris earned his MBA at The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania where he also spent time as digital health consultant at Mckinsey. Chris was also the founder of the literacy non-profit Things We Read.
Use this link to learn more about NeuroFlow and the solutions they provide: https://www.neuroflow.com/rural/
This week on Rural Health Leadership Radio we are talking about the transformation of care. We are having that conversation with Josh Martin, CEO of Summit Pacific Medical Center, a Critical Access Hospital in Elma, Washington.
“We set a very bold vision that through Summit Care, we will build one of the healthiest communities in the nation.”
~Josh Martin
Josh Martin joined Summit Pacific Medical Center in 2016 with more than 18 years of healthcare experience in both large health systems and rural community hospitals. Josh has a Master’s Degree in Business Administration with an emphasis in Healthcare, and a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration, both from Northwest Nazarene University in Idaho.
He has a certification in Lean Process Improvement from the University of Washington and a Social Marketing certification from Boise State University. Josh currently serves on the Washington State Hospital Association Public Policy Committee as well as the Rural Health Committee. He is an active board member on the Washington Rural Health Collaborative, Greater Grays Harbor Regional Chamber of Commerce, and acts as Vice-Chair for CHOICE Regional Health Network.
Josh understands the healthcare delivery system and enjoys the challenge of rural hospitals. He strives to create an organizational culture that embodies excellence, compassion, and quality while advocating at a state and national level to transform our healthcare delivery system. In his free time, Josh enjoys mountain biking, playing soccer, volunteering in the community, and spending time with his wife and 3 young children.
This week on Rural Health Leadership Radio we are talking about the importance of the relationship between the hospital board and the hospital CEO. We are having that conversation with Andrew “Drew” Hooper, Chairman of the Board at Summit Pacific Medical Center, a Critical Access Hospital in Elma, Washington.
“There are generally two problems that organizations see when it comes to that relationship between Board Chair and CEO.”
~Drew Hooper
Andrew “Drew” Hooper grew up in the Pacific Northwest and met his wife while auditioning for a college play in 1999. Little did they know that when they were married in the play it would bind them in a life-long commitment to one another. Five years after that amazing encounter they were married (by the same man who married them in the play!) and have worked as a team ever since.
After college Drew worked in the retail sector prior to moving to financial services. Drew became self-employed when he opened his first financial services business in Montesano, Washington, eventually opening an office in Tacoma, and now calling Olympia the base of operations for Hooper Financial.
Drew has been an active leader in the community through his involvement as a publicly elected hospital district commissioner to advocating for rural health care and financial services in Washington D.C.
This week on Rural Health Leadership Radio we’re talking about pharmacists and their role in delivering healthcare in rural America. Did you know that most individuals in the US have a pharmacist within 5 miles of them? That is often not the case with a physician or a hospital.
“A pharmacist is actually the most accessible member of the healthcare team that is in a given community.”
~Tom Kraus
Tom Kraus is Vice President for Government Relations at ASHP. He is a graduate of University of Michigan (BS Biology), Georgetown University Law Center (Doctor Of Law), and The Johns Hopkins University (MHS, Health Policy).
The American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) represents pharmacists who serve as patient care providers in acute and ambulatory settings. The organization’s nearly 55,000 members include pharmacists, student pharmacists, and pharmacy technicians. For more than 75 years, ASHP has been at the forefront of efforts to improve medication use and enhance patient safety. To learn more visit www.ashp.org.
This week on Rural Health Leadership Radio we're talking about vision care in rural America. The Niswonger College of Optometry at one of the nation’s oldest universities, Tusculum University, is totally focused on vision care in rural America
“That is robbing these people of their vision faster than should ever be conceivable in America.”
~Dr. Andrew Buzzelli
Dr. Andrew Buzzelli is the Executive Vice President for Tusculum University, College of Health Sciences, and the Founding Dean for Niswonger College of Optometry. Dr. Buzzelli received his doctorate in optometry from the Illinois College of Optometry in Chicago. He holds a Master of Science degree in child development and visual perception from the State University of New York. He has practiced in the private health care sector as a specialist in dysfunctions of binocular vision and visual information processing disorders.
A noted international lecturer, Dr. Buzzelli served as a consultant to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration for the medical protocols currently utilized on the International Space Station. The author of more than 25 articles in both optometric and military publications and a recognized expert in the field of chemical and biological weapons, Dr. Buzzelli authored the first-ever ophthalmic textbook series for the treatment and management of injuries resultant from terrorist attack.
A retired colonel in the United States Air Force, Buzzelli has held command positions as the chief of optometry for the 105th Military Airlift Wing and commander of the 105th Medical Group. He served as the assistant to the command surgeon for Air Force Material Command and was selected as the Chief Advisor to the Air Force Surgeon General of the Air National Guard.
Recognized as an authority in the field of binocular vision and visual perception, Dr. Buzzelli has taught programs in the diagnosis and treatment of acquired brain injury, pediatric optometry, and binocular vision, as well as child abuse and intimate partner violence. He is one of 36 optometrists in the world recognized as a diplomat in binocular vision and perception for the American Academy of Optometry.
Dr. Buzzelli has already led the efforts to begin several new programs including the Niswonger College of Optometry, He has and will continue to administer the preparation of materials and documentation required for accreditation and will ensure that the academic and patient care missions of the College are accomplished. He does this all while providing leadership for recruiting and retaining highly qualified faculty, staff, and students.
This week on Rural Health Leadership Radio we're talking about behavioral health and addiction treatment services at a rural hospital in Louisiana. More specifically, this is a conversation about how a hospital added in-patient withdrawal management services for drug and alcohol abuse and related issues. It is a stabilization program that is a voluntary program.
“They need compassion and care and they’re very thankful that somebody isn’t judging them.”
~Jackie Reviel
Jackie Reviel has over 25 years in healthcare experience, starting her career in healthcare in 1990 in Canada where she obtained her Diploma in Nursing. She continues to have a passion for serving patients in local rural communities and has worked in many areas in nursing. Jackie has always been challenged by taking on different leadership roles including Director of Maternal Child Services, VP of Patient Care, CNO, and her current role as CEO of Allen Parish Hospital. Jackie has continued her education and obtained her BSN and MSN in Healthcare Systems Administration. She is a Rotary member and on the boards of the Rural Hospital Coalition and WorkForce Commission Board.
This week on Rural Health Leadership Radio we're talking about several of the challenges rural health leaders face with Naomi Sweeney from the State Office of Rural Health and Primary Care at the Arkansas Department of Health. Her state office has recently received approval to sponsor 10 Critical Access Hospital CEOs in attending the National Rural Health Association Rural Hospital CEO Training Program. Their vision is to these 10 CEOs return and share what they have learned with other rural hospital CEOs across the state. The expectation is that there will be a lot of good measurable data on the improvement at participant facilities once they implement the lessons learned. They see a tremendous value in this program and look forward to seeing how it affects rural health across the state.
“You cannot make a difference from an office chair alone, let people see your face.”
~Naomi Sweeney
Naomi Sweeney is the State Office of Rural Health Coordinator for the state of Arkansas. She is housed within the Office of Rural Health and Primary Care at the Arkansas Department of Health. Naomi is a graduate of the University of Central Arkansas. She has a Master of Science in Nutrition and Dietetics, and she has over 14 years’ experience in public health-related fields. When Naomi began her work at the Arkansas Office of Rural Health and Primary Care in November of 2018, she was responsible for recruitment and retention of medical professionals in rural and underserved areas of Arkansas through programs such as Nurse Corps, various National Health Service Corps programs, and the J1 Visa program. Naomi has an excellent track record in the field of public health, with plenty of public speaking experience, a heart for community service, and a desire to improve the health of rural Arkansans.
Rural health leaders are always talking about the challenge of recruiting providers. That is why we are talking with Jordan White, an undergraduate medical student at Mississippi State, and a participant in the Mississippi Rural Physicians Scholarship Program this week on Rural Health Leadership Radio.
“Are you doing what you want to do? Are you doing what God wants you to do? Have you even asked?”
~Jordan White (quoting her Pastor)
Jordan is a pre-med junior at Mississippi State, having transferred from EMCC Scooba last semester. She was raised in the small town of De Kalb, MS. Her grandmother, mother, brother, sister, and a few aunts are all nurses, so she grew up hearing about the medical field. They talked about working with great doctors and not so great doctors. Jordan’s mission is to return to De Kalb and be the kind of doctor her family would enjoy working with and being seen by.
This week on Rural Health Leadership Radio, we’re talking about the COVID-19 pandemic and the impact it is making on rural healthcare. We are having that conversation with Broch Slabach, Senior VP of Member Services at the NRHA.
“From that day forward, the end of the world changed as we know it”
~Brock Slabach
With over 28 years of experience in the administration of rural hospitals, Brock is definitely an expert and experienced rural health leader. From 1987 through 2007, he was the administrator of the Field Memorial Community Hospital in Centreville, MS. He earned his Bachelor of Science degree from Oklahoma Baptist University and his Master of Public Health in Health Administration from the University of Oklahoma.
This week on Rural Health Leadership Radio, we’re talking about recruiting providers and other professional staff to rural America. We are having that conversation with Alicia Calloway, Chief Operating Officer at OPYS Physician Services.
“It can be tough to know who you can trust in any industry, but knowing who you can trust in rural healthcare is vital”
~Alicia Calloway
Alicia Calloway was born and raised in Tennessee. She started in healthcare shortly after high school and began to develop a passion for rural healthcare in underserved communities. She began working with a staffing and management group that specialized in providing service to rural areas and worked her way up into a leadership position. Now working for a different group with the same focus, her passion to help rural hospitals succeed under what are seen as insurmountable odds has only grown.
“There is a true need for rural hospitals to find a way through the difficult times at hand. To be able to continue to offer the healthcare that the people in these communities so desperately need. I want to be part of that solution.”
~Alicia Calloway
Alicia can be reached at: acalloway@opys.com
You can learn more about OPYS Physician Services by visiting opys.com.
“COVID-19 is not just an urban problem but something that is a risk for all of us.”
-Dr. Jay Butler
Deputy Director for Infectious Disease
CDC
If you have a question or best practice to share, please reach out to the CDC at ruralhealth@cdc.gov.
The COVID-19 pandemic is changing the world as we know it. I hope you, your family, your hospital, clinic, and community, are all doing as well as possible considering the new normal we now are living in.
This week on Rural Health Leadership Radio, we’re having a conversation about the COVID-19 pandemic with Patty Harper and Taylor Cottano. Patty shares some of the top operational best practices for dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic and Taylor shares some of the top clinical best practices.
“This pandemic is ever changing”
Taylor Cottano
Patty Harper is CEO of InQuiseek, LLC, a business and healthcare consulting company based in Louisiana. She has over 21 years of healthcare experience in the areas of healthcare finance & reimbursement, health information management, compliance, and practice management. She began her healthcare career as a hospital controller and reimbursement analyst. Patty holds a B.S. in Health Information Administration (cum laude) from Louisiana Tech University. She is credentialed through AHIMA as a RHIA, CHTS-IM, and CHTS-PW. Patty successfully completed AHIMA’s ICD-10 Academy and has been recognized as an ICD-10 Trainer. She is also Certified in Healthcare Compliance (CHC®) thorough the Compliance Certification Board. Patty is a frequent speaker and contributor for national, state and regional and rural healthcare associations on these and other reimbursement-related topics. She has held memberships regional, state and national organizations throughout her healthcare career including NARHC, NRHA, AHIMA, MGMA, and HFMA. Patty currently serves on the Board of NARHC and LRHA.
Patty can be reached at pharper@inquiseek.com.
Taylor Cottano is the Founder and CEO of Southern EVALS and has worked in the healthcare field as a Registered Nurse for over 5 years. Through his time working in different healthcare organizations around the Nation, he has been able to see the evolution of healthcare from a regulatory aspect and help organizations come into and stay in compliance. As the regulatory bodies continue to add requirements and tweak programs some things stay the same. Patients continue to seek quality healthcare that is easy to access at a valuable cost.
Taylor can be reached at tcottano@sevals.net
This week we have a special episode on Rural Health Leadership Radio. Rural Health Leadership Radio recorded the CDC call titled “Update for Rural Partners, Stakeholders, and Communities on the 2019 Coronavirus Disease Response.”
“We’re in the midst of a global pandemic of a disease, COVID-19, caused by a newly recognized virus.”
-Dr. Jay Butler
Deputy Director for Infectious Disease, CDC
The COVID-19 pandemic is changing the world as we know it. I hope you and your family, your hospital, clinic, and community, are all doing as well as possible considering the new normal we now are living in.
This week on Rural Health Leadership Radio we’re talking about movement as medicine. We’re having that conversation with Dr. Anthony Fleg, Director of Running Medicine.
“Movement is something we as leaders, as health professionals, need to remember is one of our simplest outlets that life gives us.”
~Anthony Fleg
Dr. Fleg is a family physician who thinks of his work of healing as “occasionally done with a stethoscope, more often done in communities…done with youth and elders, done through art, language, culture, and love, and through listening more than through talking.” Through NHI, Dr. Fleg created the Running Medicine (www.runningmedicine.org) program in 2016, a unique approach to mind, body, and spiritual wellness through walking and running.
“Leadership is more about empowering people around you to see the best in themselves and to see their own ability to lead, to heal, and do for themselves.”
~Anthony Fleg
Dr. Fleg is also a co-founder of the Native Health Initiative (www.lovingservice.us), a partnership to address health inequities through loving service. He is also a faculty member at the University of New Mexico in the Department of Family and Community Medicine, and in the College of Population Health. Dr. Fleg considers himself a love activist, grounded in a deep belief that love can serve as a vehicle toward equity, justice and social transformation. For more information about Dr. Fleg’s work, see the links below!
This week on Rural Health Leadership Radio, we’re talking about rural health centers and their workforces. We’re having that conversation with Darcy Shargo, CEO of Maine Primary Care Association (MPCA).
“I think we’re in a time in the evolution of healthcare delivery and certainly in the rural context that we can’t really stand still anymore and that we’ve got to move.”
~Darcy Shargo
Darcy grew up in rural northern Minnesota in a small farming community. Her personal experiences drove her to work that invests in understanding and alleviating some of the social risk factors that are barriers to better health. Darcy feels that rural areas have the opportunity to test change and commandeer their future.
“Having a focus on healthcare particularly through a rural lens is important because we have the opportunity to scale up changes and try new things.”
~Darcy Shargo
Darcy is the CEO of MPCA, a membership organization for the state’s federally qualified health centers (FQHC). These delivery sites exist across both rural and urban centers in Maine and constitute the state’s largest primary care network. The community health centers serve people from all walks of life, regardless of their ability to pay, acting as a true safety net.
This week on Rural Health Leadership Radio, we’re talking about rural medical education. We’re having that conversation with Dr. Richard Terry, Associate Dean of Academic Affairs at Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM).
“The problem in rural areas is simply access to care. There are not enough doctors choosing to practice in rural areas.”
~Dr. Richard Terry
Dr. Terry graduated from New York College of Osteopathic Medicine in 1988. He completed his residency at the University of Rochester in Family Medicine in 1991, the first osteopathic physician ever admitted to the program. Dr. Terry also has a Master’s in Business Administration from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. Dr. Terry currently serves as the Associate Dean of Academic Affairs at the LECOM and as Chief Academic Officer at Lake Erie Consortium for Osteopathic Medicine Training (LECOMT).
“What excites me the most is the ability to train medical students with an orientation towards rural family medicine, rural primary care, and rural specialty care from the get-go.”
~Dr. Richard Terry
Dr. Terry has over two decades of experience in both graduate and undergraduate medical education. He has been instrumental in developing a regional campus model for LECOM as well as developing numerous graduate medical education programs in multiple specialties and undergraduate opportunities for osteopathic students. Previously, he served as the Assistant Dean of Regional Clinical Education at LECOM where he built numerous rural clinical rotation sites and graduate medical opportunities in primary care.
This week on Rural Health Leadership Radio we’re talking about holistic care in rural health clinics. We’re having that conversation with Brenda Jacobs, CEO of Daughters of Charity Services in Arkansas.
“The engagement with patients is important to us. The engagement with community is important to us and that’s our link to survival, I do believe.”
~ Brenda Jacobs
Brenda Jacobs was born and raised in Arkansas and has always been concerned with healthcare. Her academic career always led her back to nursing, and she became a doctorally-prepared nurse practitioner. Brenda is currently working in a clinical practice, as well as being the CEO.
“We’re committed to our community. We’re committed to taking a holistic approach to our patients, and we’re concerned about every bit of them.”
~ Brenda Jacobs
Daughters of Charity, where Brenda is CEO, was started by a group of nuns many years ago in Gould, Arkansas. Not only do they provide medical and dental services, but they also offer services based on the community’s social determinants of health and needs. The organization’s mission is to provide holistic care through their certified rural health clinics, to serve their community.
This week on Rural Health Leadership Radio, we’re talking about hospital rehabilitation services. We’re having that conversation with Deborah Lakin, Vice President of Hospital Contracts at Alliance Physical Therapy Partners.
“Healthcare is moving toward prevention and wellness, which I think is fantastic.”
~Deborah Lakin
Deborah started her career as an Occupational Therapist in the VA system. She is a graduate of Eastern Michigan University, obtaining a Bachelor of Science degree and an MBA from Webster University, St. Louis. Soon after she moved to Florida, where she worked in one of their largest hospitals, quickly moving from working on the floor, to her educational role in the rehabilitation department, and finally achieving her leadership role.
“You really have to listen to your folks and get involved and hear them out.”
~Deborah Lakin
Her experiences in hospitals and with compassionate therapists jumpstarted her interest in healthcare, as well as her desire to help others. She has over 17 years of hospital rehabilitation leadership experience at various hospitals across the country, including critical access hospitals. Deborah has demonstrated success managing both rehabilitation and ancillary services. To contact Alliance Physical Therapy Partners, use the information below:
Deborah’s Email: Deborah.lakin@allianceptp.com
Alliance Physical Therapy Partner’s Website: www.allianceptp.com
This week on Rural Health Leadership Radio, we’re talking about investing in pulmonary rehabilitation at critical access hospitals. We’re having that conversation with Dr. Steve Barnett, CEO of McKenzie Health System in Sandusky, Michigan.
“We have an obligation to try and manage this population and do a better job than we’ve historically done.”
~Dr. Steve Barnett
Dr. Barnett has served as hospital Chief Operating Officer and Chief Executive Officers for the past 18 years, currently serving as the President and CEO of McKenzie Health System. He began his healthcare career as a Respiratory Therapist, attending Oakland University where he received his Bachelor’s degree in Nursing. Dr. Barnett would go on to receive his Master’s degree in Nursing from Southern Connecticut State University as well as his Doctorate in Healthcare Administration from Central Michigan University.
“Improving the health of your community often requires investment in services that may not have a significant payback financially, but the payback in terms of the health of the individuals that benefit from those services is enormous.”
~Dr. Steve Barnett
Dr. Barnett is a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives, and is a member of the National Advisory Committee on Rural Health and Human Services and serves as a member of the National Rural Health Resource Center’s Technical Assistance and Services Center Advisory Committee. He also serves on numerous healthcare-related boards and is an Assistant Professor of Central Michigan University’s College of Medicine.
This week on Rural Health Leadership Radio, we’re talking about pulmonary and cardiac rehabilitation. We’re having that conversation with Tracy Conroy, CEO, Valerie Roark, Director of Cardiopulmonary Services, and Connie Wilson, Cardiac/Pulmonary Rehabilitation Nurse at Daviess Community Hospital.
“Don’t let fear of the unknown keep you from seeking the care and the treatment and talking to your physician about what you can do to improve your lifestyle.”
~Tracy Conroy
Tracy Conroy has over 25 years of leadership experience in both acute and long-term care, population health management, outpatient clinics, and regional partnerships. She is very knowledgeable about patient experience, revenue growth, patient quality and safety, physician recruitment, and capital construction. Tracy is also an active member of the Indiana Rural Health Association, Rotary Club of Washington, IN., American Red Cross, and serves on the Board of Directors for the Daviess County Economic Development Corporation. Tracy is passionate about expanding access to care for all residents and collaborating with the community to promote positive health outcomes.
“Having programs like Pulmonary Rehab is what gives me hope because I know that the patients that come into pulmonary rehab and that really embrace what we teach in there, that it’s life-changing for them.”
~Connie Wilson
Connie Wilson MSN, RN, CCRP, CCEP, Certificate in Pulmonary Rehabilitation currently serves as the Cardiac/Pulmonary Rehabilitation nurse at Daviess Community Hospital. She has been a nurse for 34 years, with 28 years in Cardiac Rehabilitation and 25 years in Pulmonary Rehabilitation. Connie is an active member of the Indiana Society of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation, being on the board of directors and serving as President in 2007 and 2018.
“There’s hope on the horizon that people will live a better quality of life as they progress through the phases of COPD.”
~Valerie Roark
Valerie Roark is a Registered Respiratory Therapist working with Daviess Community Hospital in Washington, IN for the past 30 years as the Director of the Cardiopulmonary Department, EEG's, Sleep Diagnostics and Cardiac and Pulmonary Rehabilitation. She feels she has positively impacted the Daviess Community Hospital and the community it serves by raising the level of professionalism within the departments she provides oversight by recruiting and hiring highly-skilled, passionate, caring professionals whether it be respiratory therapists, registered nurses or in our most recent hire of exercise physiologists for our cardiac and pulmonary rehab programs.
This week on Rural Health Leadership Radio, we’re talking about coding and billing for COPD services. We’re having that conversation with Lindsay Corcoran, Senior Consultant at Stroudwater Associates, and Laurie Daigle, Senior Consultant at Stroudwater Revenue Cycle Solutions.
“Anything that encourages people to be more aware of their health and provide support for people to take responsibility can have an enormous benefit.”
~Laurie Daigle
Laurie is a certified professional coder with over 18 years of experience in medical insurance claim processions, medical billing software training, auditing, and healthcare financial management. She has years of experience as a manager for a national commercial payer, and has extensive knowledge in Healthcare Management, from physician group practices to large academic institutions. She has been instrumental in the creation of Revenue Integrity resources to unify coding, billing, and compliance initiatives to increase physician and departmental productivity, to improve business office efficiency and accuracy.
“COPD, respiratory diseases and pulmonary rehabilitation is getting so much attention right now with a focus specifically to support rural communities and their needs.”
~Lindsay Corcoran
Lindsay has been a consultant at Stroudwater for almost six years, mainly consulting in the rural healthcare landscape to support rural hospitals and medical practices in financial, operational and quality improvement. Prior to consulting, she was a Practice Administrator for outpatient physical therapy clinics in southern Maine. Lindsay has a passion for improving and sustaining rural health care services because of their foundational importance in rural communities.
This week on Rural Health Leadership Radio we’re talking about respiratory and cardiac care. We’re having that conversation with Michelle Collins, Registered Respiratory Therapist at Lincoln Health, Franklin Memorial Hospital, and Central Maine Medical Center.
“I have hope because there has been so much work that has been done over the last couple of years that is still very exciting.”
~Michelle Collins
Michelle has worked in various aspects of healthcare from administrative to clinical for 30 years, with sixteen of those years being spent specializing in cardiac and respiratory care. She has been able to work with a large pulmonary practice and currently works at a critical access hospital, a rural trauma and cardiac center. Michelle also provides teaching and training in cardiac and pulmonary care throughout the state at businesses, hospitals, nursing facilities, educational institutions, and at health fairs for employees, patients, and aspiring and active clinical staff.
“Asking the right questions before we set patients up with medications and treatment plans for respiratory is huge.”
~Michelle Collins
In her spare time, Michelle enjoys volunteering for many organizations. She is the President of the Maine Society for Respiratory Care, a Member of the American Association for Respiratory Care Political Action Contact Team, a Member of the Maine Health Allies, The COPD and Alpha 1 Advocacy Captain and Ambassador of Maine, a Harmonicas 4 Health Instructor, teaching Better Breathers Group, participant in the COPD National Action Plan Task Force and a Rural Health Advisory Team.