Rising costs, tightening margins, and ongoing workforce challenges are forcing rural hospitals to take a hard look at their financial sustainability. Across the country, increasing expenses, growing accounts receivable, and reimbursement pressures are creating an urgent need for more strategic, data-driven decision-making—particularly for rural providers already operating with limited resources.
In this session, Nick Smith of Wipfli LLP will share insights from over two decades of healthcare consulting experience, including recent turnaround and performance improvement work with rural hospitals nationwide. Participants will explore key drivers of financial decline, review proven strategies for improving profitability, and learn about innovative approaches in areas such as revenue cycle, reimbursement, technology, and staffing. The session will also highlight findings from recent rural hospital staffing benchmarking studies and provide practical, actionable steps hospital leaders can use to strengthen financial performance and long-term sustainability.
MRHA Webinar: Repaving a Path to Profitability
Thursday, October 1st, 2026 @ 12PM CST
Zoom
Target Audience:
- Rural hospital leaders and administrators
- Chief financial officers (CFOs) and finance staff
- Revenue cycle and billing professionals
- Operations and department managers
- Clinical leadership involved in staffing and resource allocation
- Rural health clinic administrators and managers
- Healthcare consultants and technical assistance providers
- Board members of rural hospitals and health systems
Hosted by the Missouri Rural Health Association and presented by the American Heart Association, this session is part of the Missouri Rural Health Association's Lunch and Learn Webinar Series and is FREE OF CHARGE and open to the public. If you'd like to learn more about supporting our ongoing education efforts click here.