Challenges Of Rural Healthcare

In today’s evolving healthcare landscape, many of the most pressing challenges have led hospitals and physician groups to merge into larger health systems. These include investing in advancements in diagnosis and treatment, controlling care costs, enhancing patient experiences, and fostering collaboration among clinicians. The fundamental reason behind this consolidation is scale. From enlarging patient populations and expanding physician networks to attracting top medical professionals – scale is often the answer.

For independent rural hospitals, achieving this scale can be an enormous undertaking. While merging with a larger health system is a viable option for some, many rural communities are inclined to retain their local hospital’s undivided attention to cater to local needs.

Charting A Sustainable Path 

The Rough Rider High-Value Network was conceived in recognition of these challenges, founded on the principle that independent rural hospitals can unite to address these challenges and bolster their resilience while maintaining their independence.

Through our network, 23 critical-access hospitals join forces on clinical and operational fronts, amplifying the accessibility, affordability, and quality of care in North Dakota’s rural communities. We are a beacon for over 225,000 patients, ensuring they receive nothing but the best care.

The Rough Rider Clinical Integration Network (CIN) was established to further enhance our collaborative efforts. This empowers our member hospitals to offer continuous care to patients across the network, from surgery and ophthalmology to mental health and obstetrics. The CIN’s Clinical Integration Committee, comprising a practitioner from each member hospital, supervises all clinical and quality initiatives.

Looking To The Future

Our exploration into collective solutions in areas like pharmacy, telehealth, IT, clinical staffing, and more is ongoing. Leading these ventures is our Business Integration Committee, a group of selected operations leaders from our member hospitals. This committee oversees our shared service offerings and serves as a collaborative platform for these leaders to address everyday business challenges and share resolutions.

At Rough Rider High-Value Network, our commitment goes beyond healthcare; it’s about building a sustainable future for rural communities. As we move forward, we remain dedicated to our mission, united in our vision, and grateful for the trust placed in us by our members and the communities we serve.