ViewPoints Blog

We have all seen the carefully constructed mission statements, whether emblazoned on a lobby plaque or posted on the website of our local hospital. The intent is usually stated clearly improving the health and wellness of the communities we serve. But are we truly meeting our mission?

Misconceptions - if voiced long and loudly enough - will over time be interpreted as fact. And facts are what drive decisions, whether in the boardroom or on Capitol Hill. For some time now, rural and Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) have been saddled with the notion that they are less efficient and adhere to lower standards of quality and patient satisfaction than their urban counterparts. But based on the results of our 2014 Rural Relevance Under Healthcare Reform Study released today, this notion can be challenged with empirical data.

How many times have you been to the Emergency Department and had to sit in the waiting room for what seemed like forever? It's a common challenge for hospitals everywhere; here's how one rural hospital in the Northeast addressed the situation.

As I return to my busy schedule after the holiday season, I am reminded of the classic holiday song lyrics, “There's no place like home for the holidays." Home for me is a small rural town in northern Maine and is truly a winter wonderland this time of year - mountain vistas, evergreens, the frozen expanse of Moosehead Lake, and of course snow; lots and lots of snow. During our holiday visits, we make it a special point to visit my wife's grandmother, who has spent the last few months in our local community hospital recovering from surgery.