Strategic by Design: Accelerating Facility Planning to Turn Vision into Value

Many rural hospitals are constrained by outdated infrastructure—spaces designed for inpatient volume that no longer reflect today’s patient needs or care models. Coupled with financial constraints and limited capital, rural leaders must be especially strategic when considering any facility investment. Every dollar must count, and every decision must be future-ready.

This session explores how accelerated, Charrette-based master facility planning can help rural hospitals align infrastructure with evolving demand, unlock operational efficiency, and build with confidence. Attendees will gain insight into the master planning process, how to assess market demand, and what it takes to ensure their next facility investment delivers long-term value.

At the end of this session, attendees will be able to:

  • Evaluate Market Demand and Facility Needs – Use market data and service trends to inform future infrastructure requirements.
  • Understand the Master Planning Process – Learn a step-by-step approach for developing an effective, adaptable facility master plan.
  • Identify Keys to a Successful Plan – Recognize the strategic, operational, and financial factors that lead to smart, high-impact facility decisions.
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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.