Leading Rural Health Care

The federal 340B Drug Pricing Program is one of the most misunderstood programs in health care, and it's facing challenges from several directions. In this episode, Michael Calhoun, CEO of Citizens Memorial Hospital in Bolivar, Missouri, and Mariah Hollabaugh, System Director of Pharmacy, explain what 340B was created to do and what it means for their rural health system where nearly four in five...

Rural hospital leadership rarely comes with a second act — let alone a third. In this episode, Martha Gragg, CEO of Sullivan County Memorial Hospital, shares what it means to lead the hospital in her own hometown of Milan, Missouri, for the third time in her career. She talks about the pull that keeps bringing her home, the county's push to replace a hospital building dating to 1953, and the commu...

Rural hospitals face no shortage of complex problems, and Don Carpenter believes the solution often starts with getting the data right. In this episode, Carpenter, CEO of Cedar County Memorial Hospital, shares how his background in Lean Six Sigma and project management shapes his approach to leading a critical access hospital. He discusses rebuilding trust in the community, restoring service lines...

What does it take to turn around a struggling rural hospital? In this episode, Bill Hellebusch, Administrator of Hermann Area District Hospital, walks through the financial and cultural turnaround he led since becoming CEO in 2023 — from tackling a revenue cycle in crisis to rebuilding employee and community confidence. Hellebusch also reflects on stepping away from his role last year, and the com...

Rural health care in Missouri is fragile, and Ric Ransom knows it firsthand. As CEO of MU Health Care, Ransom leads the University of Missouri's academic health system while navigating many of the same pressures — workforce shortages, reimbursement gaps, rising costs — that rural hospitals face at a different scale. He shares how his legal background shapes his approach to partnerships, why he des...

What does it take to turn around a rural hospital in under three months? In this episode, Steve Henson, CEO of Ste. Genevieve County Memorial Hospital, shares the story behind his fast-moving restructuring plan and the unconventional career path — from ambulance driver to attorney to hospital executive — that prepared him for it. Henson discusses the realities of critical access hospital finances,...

Earning trust is the foundation of leadership—especially for a leader stepping into a century-old organization. In this episode, Matt Fry, president and CEO of Freeman Health System in Joplin, Missouri, shares what it takes to lead a locally owned, nonprofit health system through a period of growth and change.  As the first CEO hired from outside the organization in its 100-year history, Fry expla...

Rural hospitals are often misunderstood, underfunded and underestimated, but they are also some of the most innovative health care organizations in the country. In this episode, Alan Morgan, CEO of the National Rural Health Association, shares a national perspective on the forces shaping rural health care today.  Drawing on more than 35 years of health policy experience, Morgan covers the real rea...

Rural health care leaders are finding new ways to solve old problems, and Carroll County Memorial Hospital in Carrollton, Missouri is proof of what's possible. In this episode, Scott Thoreson, President and CEO, and Dr. Andy Horine, family physician and the hospital's first Chief Medical Information Officer, share how a fiercely independent, non-tax-supported critical access hospital has built a n...

A nursing career that started 30 years ago laid the foundation for one of rural Missouri's experienced health care leaders. In this episode, Darinda Dick, President and CEO of Western Missouri Medical Center in Warrensburg, shares how her clinical background informs every decision she makes as a CEO. From earning a CMS five-star quality rating to building a thriving physician enterprise and expand...

In rural communities, a hospital is more than a place for care—it's a foundation for stability, growth and connection. In this episode, Tina Gillespie, CEO of Harrison County Community Hospital, shares how her organization is investing in the future of care in northwest Missouri. She discusses the journey to build a new hospital, the role of financial strategy in sustaining services and the import...

Rural health care leaders are making complex decisions every day to keep care local and accessible. In this episode, Todd Ahrens, CEO of Hannibal Regional Healthcare System, discusses how he navigates those decisions through a balance of risk, mission and long-term strategy. Drawing on his experience as an attorney and a health system leader, he shares how his perspective on risk has evolved, why...

Rural hospitals are often misunderstood, yet they play a critical role in keeping communities healthy and economically stable. In this episode, Karla Clubine, CEO of Pershing Health System, shares what it really means to lead a critical access hospital in today's environment. Drawing from her clinical background, Clubine explains how she approaches leadership decisions, balances patient needs with...

Rural health care leadership has never been more complex. Financial pressure, workforce shortages, stakeholder expectations and regulatory demands are testing leaders across Missouri. In this episode, Nate Blackford, Senior Vice President of Membership Services at the Missouri Hospital Association and former president of Mosaic Medical Center in Maryville, helps kick off the new Leading Rural Heal...