Annual rural health conference focuses on reform

The Minnesota Critical Access Hospital and Rural Health Conference, "Rethinking Rural Health Care: A Community Effort” will be held June 15-16 in Duluth, Minnesota. Health care professionals, state and local policymakers and students will gather for this two-day event to discuss how rural communities can lead health care reform through innovation and collaboration.

Conference highlights:

* A discussion of new opportunities for Critical Access Hospitals within their communities.
* A Minnesota Rural Health Association Policy Forum featuring Minnesota legislators.
* Presentations on health care reform and rural community involvement, mental health telemedicine, health care home implementation and helping elderly adults live well at home.
* Lorry Massa, president of the Minnesota Hospital Association, and Alan Morgan, National Rural Health Association chief executive officer, will each open one day of the conference, and Minnesota Commissioner of Health Dr. Sanne Magnan will provide closing remarks.
* The 2009 Minnesota Rural Health Awards luncheon will highlight nominees’ significant contributions to rural health.

Additional sessions will focus on community engagement in physician recruitment, applying "Lean” process-improvement techniques in health care settings, Albert Lea’s AARP/Blue Zone city health makeover, electronic health records, emergency department performance, newborn screening, dental access and services for returning military personnel.

The annual Minnesota Rural Health conference is a joint venture of the Minnesota Department of Health’s Office of Rural Health and Primary Care, the Minnesota Rural Health Association and the Rural Health Resource Center.

For more information or to register, visit www.health.state.mn.us/divs/orhpc/conf/2009/index.html.