Linda Stevenson with Fisher-Titus Health
Linda Stevenson, CIO of Fisher-Titus, is leading an initiative to unite rural health systems to tackle complex infrastructure challenges. She highlights the importance of collaboration, vendor education, and strategic partnerships in overcoming budget and staffing constraints in rural healthcare. The initiative also addresses concerns over potential Medicaid funding cuts which threaten small systems.
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Key takeaways
Rural health systems are collaborating to address infrastructure challenges that individual hospitals cannot solve alone.
Vendor education and strategic partnerships are essential to overcome budget and staffing constraints in rural healthcare.
Potential Medicaid funding cuts pose a significant threat to the sustainability of small rural health systems.
Linda Stevenson, CIO of Fisher-Titus, shares why she helped launch the rural health community initiative at CHIME and how it’s creating essential momentum for collaboration. Speaking from VIVE 2025, Linda highlights the unique challenges rural hospitals face—from limited budgets to lean staffing—and the importance of collective action.
Once partners understand rural constraints, they're more willing to tailor pricing, support, and innovation.
She emphasizes how vendor education is key. Fisher-Titus, despite its size, is now recognized as "Most Wired," thanks in part to strategic partnerships and creative contracting. But Linda also raises concern over looming Medicaid funding cuts, which could devastate small systems.
Unity, innovation, and vendor alignment are crucial for rural healthcare survival in 2025 and beyond.
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