Rural Health Workforce Conference
CME Credits Available!
The Missouri Rural Health Association (MRHA), in partnership with Missouri University School of Medicine and the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), will host the Rural Health Workforce Conference Thursday, April 22 through Saturday, April 24, 2021.

Due to COVID-19 concerns, the conference will be virtual and participants are encouraged to safely attend from home.

Tickets are $50 and refunds are not available. Links to access the virtual conference will be sent out prior to the event.

Attendees must be registered by April 16.
Meet the Keynote Speakers
JOHN DOOLITTLE
President
Mosaic Medical Center Albany Community Engagement

We "Get To" Serve Our Communities
Thursday, April 22 (Day 1): 5 p.m. - 6 p.m.
Life as a rural health care professional is a calling that is not for the faint of heart, but the personal and professional rewards it offers are tremendously rich and satisfying. In this session, we'll share stories about the particular opportunities afforded to rural caregivers and honor their incredible successes.
MUN Y. CHOI
President
University of Missouri

NextGen and Impacts on Rural Health 
Friday, April 23 (Day 2): 9 a.m. - 10 a.m. 
President Choi will address the University of Missouri's extensive efforts to improve access to health care in rural areas, including the impact and wide reach of the university's NextGen Precision Health initiative.
Don't Overlook Saturday's Lineup!
Saturday, April 24 (Day 3)
9 a.m. – 10 a.m.
Opening Session
"Left Out or Roped In?: Rural America's Journey Toward Health Equity
Ben Anderson, Vice President
Rural Health and Hospital - Colorado Hospital Association

As health equity has risen to the center of the national conversation over the past few decades, it has largely – whether intentionally or unintentionally – excluded rural America. Meanwhile, health care access in rural communities has significantly declined, leading to some of the worst health outcomes in the United States. Through a series of true and inspiring stories, Benjamin Anderson humanizes the glaring disparities that exist between rural and urban communities and describes the structural issues that perpetuate them. He offers hopeful and practical tools that empower leaders to be their own best advocates through the hard work and ingenuity that define the backbone of America. 
10 a.m. – 11 a.m.
General Session:
"Policies Affecting Rural Health Care"

Regulatory Q&A - Daniel Landon - Missouri Hospital Association; Sheldon Weisgrau – Missouri Foundation for Health

Policies and regulations influence how healthcare is provided. Listen and join in conversation about how state and federal policies and regulations are affecting rural healthcare. Participants will be able to identify what changes have been made over the past year and where healthcare may be moving. They will also be able to identify areas for future advocating to help influence change. 
Daniel Landon
Sheldon Weisgrau
11 a.m. – 12 p.m. • BREAKOUT SESSION IV
Recruitment and Retention
Panel Session - Student & Physician Q&A
Listen and join in the discussion between medical students and physicians about what it is like to study and work in rural healthcare settings. What motivates them to want to live and work in the rural communities of Missouri.
Community Engagement
Care Coordination - Lori Popejoy
University of Missouri

In this session we will discuss the different forms of care coordination available and used across settings and discuss strategies that individuals (clients and clinicians) can use to manage communication between different service entities. Examples from the SNF to Home study, and the Missouri Quality Initiative (MOQI) initiative will be used to demonstrate practical application of improvements to health systems.
Emerging Solutions
Transportation Solutions - Health Tran - Mary Gordon – Missouri Rural Health Association

HealthTran was designed to address rural transportation limitations and barriers, with a primary focus on health and social determinants of health that affect rural Missourians and their communities. In finding a sustainable solution, with flexibility to meet the needs and barriers of the unique Missouri landscape, HealthTran developed a multifaceted approach that includes:
  • Strengthening health care access through collaboration, Mobility Management, advocacy, and sustainability
  • Creating a one-stop Ride Scheduling Platform to link all local transit options for simple, quick, and effective ride scheduling, thus reducing stress for workers and cancellations and no-shows for healthcare providers
  • Enhancing local and new transportation options with the MHRA Volunteer Driver Program
  • Working with nontraditional forms of transportation by utilizing available, unused vehicles dedicated to community transport
  • Sharing information on government-funded programs and other resources to enhance transportation options

Today’s session will provide an overview of the program, focus on the economic benefits transportation brings to a community and offer participants the opportunity to ask questions and interact with the HealthTran staff.
Mental Health
Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) - Megan Mabe - Your Community Health Center

This session will cover how MAT has been implemented in a rural healthcare setting. Learn how one facility has implemented MAT to better serve their patients and how to overcome barriers. Listen to the impact it has had on their community.
12 p.m. CONFERENCE ADJOURNS
Connect with MRHA and HealthTran