How can hospitals in rural and underserved communities innovate, stay open, and thrive amid financial pressures and changing healthcare demands? And how can associations serve as the glue that binds competitors together for a common purpose?
In this episode of Associations Thrive, host Joanna Pineda interviews Richard Roberson, President and CEO of the Mississippi Hospital Association (MHA). Richard discusses:
- MHA’s nearly 100-year history of serving a diverse mix of public, private, religious, and rural hospitals across Mississippi.
- How MHA helps connect members to collaborate on shared challenges.
- MHA’s powerful advocacy work at the state and federal levels to support hospitals and ensure they are heard by legislators and agency leaders.
- The launch and impact of IntelliTrue, a health information exchange platform that improves care coordination, reduces readmissions, and helps avoid unnecessary healthcare costs.
- How IntelliTrue connects hospitals, physicians, FQHCs, insurers, and mental health centers, providing clinical data that enables better patient care.
- The innovation behind TrueCare, a provider-owned Medicaid health plan formed by MHA members to improve care and reduce friction between hospitals and payers.
- How TrueCare is governed by a consortium of large and small hospitals and currently serves 100,000 Medicaid recipients.
- The power of storytelling and how MHA collects stories through affinity groups, hospital visits, and direct community engagement to humanize healthcare policy.
- Mississippi’s distinction of having the lowest hospital costs in the country: a positive for patients but a challenge for hospital sustainability.
- Richard’s vision for the next five years: improved patient outcomes through reduced ER visits and better coordination between providers, supported by a stable policy and payment environment.
References:
- MHA Website
- IntelliTrue
- TrueCare Website