HJAR Nov/Dec 2019

44 NOV / DEC 2019 I  HEALTHCARE JOURNAL OF ARKANSAS DIALOGUE COLUMN LEADERSHIP This evolution is what keeps hospitals on their toes, constantly coming up with new effective ways to meet the needs of patient care, all while running a business. Along with a host of other challenges, some of the trials that healthcare providers cur- rently face are patient access, recruitment, and staff education and training. These challenges are often intensified in a rural healthcare setting. Institutions that are not evolving to find solutions to these trials are at risk of closure, and unfortunately, it is happening all around the country. Almost weekly, the media reports the closure or financial distress of another hos- pital in rural America. Hospitals are one of the critical foundations of rural com- munities. They are the life blood. Not only do they provide jobs and support the local economy, they are also responsible for the lives of the community’s citizens. The same reason a rural hospital is so important to a community is also why a rural hospital has so many challenges—location. Location matters because in an emergency, every second matters. Every mile a patient has to travel is another minute that puts their life at risk. That is why rural hospitals are so important for every town that strives to have a sustainable community. But how can a rural hospital meet the challenge of being everything for everyone? How can a rural hospital ensure they will be there when their citizens need them the most? To meet this challenge, rural hospitals have to become even more resourceful to overcome adversity around every cor- ner. When I was young, I remember my mother saying “if you want to be known as the best, you have to hang around the best”. You can interpret this quote in many ways, but I interpreted it as surrounding myself with good people, and I have inte- grated this philosophy in my personal life and my professional life. For a rural hos- THE POWER of Partnership The institution of healthcare is a constant evolution of new ideas, strategies, and challenges that all lead up to one common goal—providing great patient care. “Creating an alliance is creating a relationship of trust.”