Supporting Missouri’s Rural Health Clinics
 

Rural Health Clinics had a strong presence throughout the conference, with dedicated sessions addressing compliance, chronic care management, performance measurement, provider transparency, and other operational considerations facing RHCs.
 

MARHC President Greg Weaver moderated the RHC Luncheon Q&A Forum (pictured above), providing an opportunity for RHC professionals to discuss issues affecting their organizations and communities. MARHC Board Member Kristen Ogden also led the session, “RHC Toolkit: From Compliance to Chronic Care Management,” offering practical guidance for navigating compliance requirements while strengthening chronic care management efforts (see image below).
 

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Additional RHC-focused programming included “Seeing Through the Fog: Dashboards and Provider Transparency,” presented by Shad Ritchie of Stroudwater Associates, and “Key Performance Indicators: Benchmarking for RHC Success 2026,” presented by Charles James of North American HMS.

Together, these sessions provided opportunities for RHC professionals to examine both the day-to-day operational challenges of running a clinic and the broader strategies that can support quality, performance, and long-term sustainability.
 

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Connecting RHCs to Broader Rural Health Conversations

RHC perspectives were also represented in discussions extending beyond clinic-specific programming. The Missouri Health Policy Panel, moderated by MRHA Executive Director Heidi Lucas, brought together Missouri State Representatives Greg Bush and Tara Peters, along with MARHC lobbyist Jessica Petrie Thelemaque, for a discussion of Missouri health policy and issues affecting rural communities and healthcare providers.

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The conference also provided an opportunity to hear directly about Missouri’s Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP). Joe Miller, director of the Rural Health Transformation Office within MO HealthNet, provided an update on the state’s implementation of the program during the Rural Health Excellence Award Luncheon hosted by the Missouri Office of Rural Health and Primary Care.

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The RHTP update offered an important look at the changes and opportunities developing across Missouri’s rural healthcare system, including initiatives that will affect rural providers as implementation continues.

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Recognizing Rural Health Leadership
 

The conference also highlighted the individuals and organizations working to strengthen rural healthcare throughout Missouri. From dedicated RHC programming to broader discussions on policy, workforce, technology, and healthcare transformation, the conference created space for rural health professionals to share expertise and learn from one another.
 

For MARHC, the conference was an opportunity to represent Missouri’s Rural Health Clinics while connecting RHC professionals with the larger rural health community. The participation of MARHC leadership and board members throughout the conference reflected the important role RHCs play in providing care across Missouri’s rural communities.
 

MARHC thanks everyone who attended the 2026 Missouri Rural Health Conference and contributed to the conversations throughout the two-day event. MARHC looks forward to continuing to advocate for and support Rural Health Clinics across Missouri in the year ahead.