Thriving, Not Just Surviving: A Roundtable on Rural Innovation and Growth

In a rapidly evolving healthcare landscape, rural hospital leaders are proving that limitations don’t define potential. This dynamic roundtable of Critical Access Hospital executives is challenging conventional wisdom and embracing an abundant mindset to drive meaningful change in their communities. This session spotlights real-world examples of how rural hospitals are not only adapting but thriving—transforming how rural healthcare operates by reimagining teams, resources, and services. Hear how these leaders are building momentum through service line expansion, innovative staffing models, and creative financial strategies—all while staying rooted in the unique needs of their populations.

In this session, we covered:

  • Workforce Innovation: Explore creative staffing models and retention strategies tailored to rural settings.
  • Financial Growth Tactics: Learn how leaders drive sustainable margins through diversified revenue streams and data-informed decision-making.
  • Service Line Expansion: Understand how Critical Access Hospitals are building or revitalizing profitable, high-impact service lines.
  • Leadership Mindset: Gain insights into the mindset shift that enables rural leaders to move from scarcity thinking to strategic growth.
  • Peer Inspiration: Walk away with stories, frameworks, and actionable ideas from peers who are turning constraints into catalysts for progress.
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Q&A

How do people stay on top of all the payer newsletters to sort through everything to pull out applicable information for the facility/provider? Who typically is going through the newsletter to gather the information to share with other staff?

Our billing specialists are organized by payer, allowing them to develop deep expertise in their respective areas. Each specialist subscribes to their payer’s newsletters to stay informed about updates and changes. Additionally, our team leads, Supervisor, and Director of Patient Accounts—along with the Prior Authorization Team—collaborate to share key insights and ensure the entire team stays up to date. This collective approach enhances our ability to navigate payer policies efficiently and provide the best possible service. 

What leadership structure do you have in place for your revenue cycle and who or what do you use for training when billers or coders need it? Especially for new service lines or common denials?

Our billing specialists are supported by a structured leadership team, including two team leads, one Supervisor, and one Director. Training for billing specialists is conducted by our Supervisor and team leads to ensure consistency and expertise. Additionally, billing specialists meet weekly with leadership to review denials and identify payer-specific trends. For new coders, who are required to be certified, training is led by our Coding Lead to maintain high standards of accuracy and compliance.

Are the billers assigned based on an alphabetical split or by insurance type, such as Medicare and Medicaid specialists?

Billers are first assigned by insurance type and then further divided by alphabetical split. Since each insurance type has multiple billers, the alpha split helps distribute the workload efficiently.

Since we have union employees, how could we implement a similar incentive to Kindal’s while ensuring compliance with union regulations?

This would depend on the specifics of your union contract. Stroudwater can work with you to review the contract and develop a compliant incentive model.

Does your Coding/HIM department manage CPT coding, modifiers, and ICD-10, or do they focus solely on ICD-10?

Our Coding team handles all aspects of coding, including CPT, modifiers, and ICD-10. They thoroughly review all provider documentation to ensure accuracy and compliance.