2016 GEORGIA LAW RURAL HEALTH CARE SYMPOSIUM
This symposium was held in association with Boling & Company at the University of Georgia School of Law in Athens, Georgia, on March 25, 2016. Thanks again to our co-sponsors, Georgia Partnership for Telehealth and Healthcare Georgia Foundation.
Panel 1: Rural Hospital Consolidation, Affiliations, and Closures
- Robin Rau, CEO, Miller County Hospital
- Jim Coleman, SVP of Southeast Hospital Operations, Community Hospital Corporation
- H.D. Cannington, CEO, Cannington Healthcare Consulting, LLC
Q1: What is your organization doing in the rural health space?
A: J.Coleman, R. Rau, H. Cannington
Q2: Identify a few causes of rural health's recent struggles and ways we can "get out of the ditch."
A: J. Coleman, R. Rau, H. Cannington
Q4: What are some of the big ideas you have used to make your board buy into the need for change?
A: R. Rau
Q6: Other than those discussed, has your rural hospital pursued affiliations with larger systems?
A: R. Rau
Q7: What is your experience trying to find a "win-win" affiliation involving a rural hospital?
A: H. Cannington, J. Coleman
Panel 2: Regulatory Issues Affecting Rural Healthcare
- Lisa Carhuff, Director of Hospital Services, Georgia State Office of Rural Health
- Kay Floyd, CEO, Monroe County Hospital
- Dr. Gary Nelson, President, Healthcare Georgia Foundation
Q1: Introductions; panelists identify one health law that is important to rural healthcare.
A: L. Carhuff, K. Floyd, G. Nelson
Q2: Talk about the coverage gap in Georgia and the continuation of uncompensated care.
A: G. Nelson
Q3: Is protection of tax-exempt status a concern for health providers in Georgia?
A: K. Floyd, L. Carhuff
Q4: Are there other opportunities for coverage of indigent populations (public or private)?
A: G. Nelson
Q5: Expand on the hub and spoke model and how it is benefitting rural health.
A: L. Carhuff, K. Floyd, G. Nelson
Q7: How do regulations shape issues of workforce development?
A: L. Carhuff, K. Floyd, G. Nelson
Q8: What aspects of the Affordable Care Act do you think are felt by rural health providers today?
A: G. Nelson, K. Floyd, audience
Keynote Speaker: Alan Morgan, CEO, National Rural Health Association
Panel 3: Technological Innovations Addressing Access Shortages
- Jeff Robbins, Director of Telemedicine, Tift Regional Medical Center
- Sherrie Williams, Executive Director, Georgia Partnership for Telehealth
- Baha Zeidan, CEO, Azalea Health
- Troy Heidesch, CEO, Smart House Calls LLC
Q1: Introduction: How does technology address some of the issues already discussed today?
A: J. Robbins, S. Williams, T. Heidesch, B. Zeidan
Q2: As health technology advances, how can patients be sure that their privacy will be protected?
A: B. Zeidan
Q3: How do privacy issues change when exchanges over the Internet are involved?
A: B. Zeidan, S. Williams, T. Heidesch
Q4: Can telehealth and other global health technologies improve access to primary and specialty care
A: J. Robbins
Q5: Where are we in the evolution of healthcare by mobile device? What barriers can/should exist?
A: J. Robbins
Q8: As we adapt to new technologies, we might see an exponential decrease in the cost, true?
A: J. Robbins
Q9: Should medical professionals fear big corporations and artificial intelligence in healthcare?
A: S. Williams, T. Heidesch, J. Robbins
Q10: How should current medical students view health technology and its impact on the job market?
A: J. Robbins
Q11: Should we be changing anything about how we train and select medical professionals?
A: B. Zeidan
Q12: What are the ways to leverage the technology and data we have today?
A: B. Zeidan, S. Williams
Q13: How can we all work together to leverage our community data to achieve population health?
A: B. Zeidan
Q15: How do you preserve empathy and patient trust in telemedicine encounters?
A: T. Heidesch, S. Williams, J. Robbins
Panel 4: Medical Staff Alignment and Recruitment Strategies
- Carol Alexander, Consultant, Stroudwater Associates
- State Rep. Sharon Cooper (R - Marietta), Chair of Health and Human Services Committee
- Dr. William Kanto, Augusta University
- Ben Robinson, Executive Director for the Center for Health Planning and Workforce Analysis, University System of Georgia
Q2: Explain the importance of physician recruitment to the larger provider community.
A: C. Alexander
Q3: What are some examples of state and legislative priorities in rural healthcare?
A: B. Robinson, Rep. Cooper
Q4: Can you expand on other possible funding solutions for rural health recruitment?
A: Rep. Cooper
Q5: How can we empower physician extenders and advanced practice professionals to close this gap?
A: W. Kanto, Rep. Cooper
Q6: In GME funding how can we make residencies not only more numerous but more rural-oriented?
A: B. Robinson, W. Kanto
Q7: When looking for physicians to serve rural communities, what qualities do you target?
A: C. Alexander
Q8: Tell us about the recently passed rural health tax credit bill in Georgia.
A: Rep. Cooper