Workforce Issues Are Impacting Rural Hospitals
Hospitals in California are facing multiple challenges that impact patients’ ability to access quality care. One of the most significant is a shortage of health care workers, with 22% of Californians living in areas without enough primary care providers. Shortages are particularly prevalent in rural areas, where patients struggle to access care because there aren’t enough nurses, physicians, pharmacists, and other health care workers to keep up with demand.
Protecting Our Rural Hospitals
Hospital Council works to support the advocacy agenda of the California Hospital Association (CHA), and one of the top advocacy priorities for both our organizations is rural health care. About 2 million people live in and visit California’s rural communities, and the lifesaving and life-changing hospital care they rely on is at risk of being lost due to financial instability. California has roughly five dozen rural and critical access hospitals (CAHs), but many of these hospitals are on the financial brink, reducing services just to stay open or facing the possibility of closure.
Healthcare Professional Shortage Area Designations Reviewed
Who Department of Health and Human Services Hospital Council What A Healthcare Professional Shortage Area (HPSA) designation is critical for many recruitment efforts in hospitals and clinics, as the designation brings with it access to some state and federal programs offering tuition reimbursement, grants, visa waivers, and more. Some HPSA designations are automatic and tied […]
Northern Sierra Hospitals Advocate for Rural Health Access
Who Northern Sierra Section hospital CEOs and leaders What The Northern Sierra Section met on April 10 at Sutter Health Park with an agenda focused on information sharing between and among hospitals, the California Hospital Association (CHA), and Hospital Council. During the hospital roundtable, it became evident that integrating advanced practice professionals (APPs) into the […]
Addressing Emergency Department Challenges in Northern Sierra
Who Coalition of state associations, local emergency medical services authorities (LEMSAs), ambulance providers, and county supervisors What Hospital Council efforts to sustain rural ambulance services continue. The newly formed coalition of state associations, LEMSAs, ambulance providers, county supervisors, and other entities will move next to do an analysis. While all members of the coalition are […]
Rural Health Care Symposium Highlights Hospital Financial Instability
Millions of Californians are at risk of losing access to critical health care services as rural hospitals struggle financially. When a rural hospital closes, it is often the sole source of care for miles and miles so Californians living in these communities must travel farther for care. Those in poor health, seniors, and people experiencing poverty suffer the most.
Orchestrating Health Care Accessibility in Rural California
Who Adventist Health, North State region Humboldt, Lake, Mendocino, Napa, and Sonoma counties Humboldt, Lake, Mendocino, Napa, and Sonoma County member hospitals Humboldt, Lake, Mendocino, Napa, and Sonoma County community organizations and federally qualified health centers What As member hospitals and Humboldt County progress toward the construction of a behavioral health crisis triage center (a […]
Hospital Council Participates in Rural-Focused Events
Who Insure the Uninsured Project (ITUP) California State Rural Health Association (CSRHA) What Hospital Council participated in two recent gatherings, one with ITUP and another with CSRHA. ITUP has new leadership and is seeking input on strategic direction. Hospital Council was asked to provide a perspective on rural hospitals and shared critical workforce and funding […]
Nevada County Search and Rescue Volunteers Receive Essential Donation
Tahoe Forest Health System’s donation of an automated external defibrillator to Nevada County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue will be a great tool to help the all-volunteer organization assist patients who are in cardiac arrest.
Hospital Council Webinar Will Detail PG&E’s Community Wildfire Safety Program
On Aug. 7, Hospital Council will host a webinar on PG&E’s Community Wildfire Safety Program (CWSP).