Positioning Rural Hospitals for Success in 2022

By Mitchell Berenson, President and CEO, Community Infusion Solutions

The Community Infusion Solutions team recently returned from participating in the Oklahoma Hospital Association Connect 21 conference. While there, we had the opportunity to meet with executives from several rural Oklahoma hospitals. I wanted to share some thoughts that my interactions at the conference validated.

1. Rural hospitals showed they have the resources to manage the cases from multiple surges. They played and will continue to play a critical role in providing care for high-risk patients and breakthrough cases.
2. Now that COVID finally appears to be receding, these hospitals are grappling with what the new normal looks like. Most seem to be turning their thoughts, time, and attention back to “business as usual” which for many, means worrying about revenue. While revenue is always a priority, COVID denied many administrators and executives the opportunity to focus on and manage revenue like they want.
3. The most out-migrated service and cause of lost revenue continues to be infusion services. In Oklahoma, rural hospitals suffer average annual IV Infusion outmigration of $450,000! The statewide revenue drain is $167 million. This is a significant revenue stream that is unnecessarily leaving these hospitals. As dire as this is, it is a relatively easy trend to reverse.
4. Most of the hospitals we visited with were unaware of the impact infusion outmigration was having on their revenue. Using publicly available Medicare data, we were able to provide the administrators we visited with an on-the-spot, conservative estimate of out-migrated infusion revenue. The most consistent reaction was surprise, if not shock.

For more than a decade, we have been working with small and rural healthcare facilities to develop outpatient infusion programs specifically designed to meet their needs. We’re currently partnering with 125 hospitals in 22 states to provide turnkey solutions that are bringing back patients and $65 million dollars in annual revenue. As Jay Johnson, President of Duncan Regional Hospitals observed, “CIS’ partnership is a vital part of our business and has directly affected our bottom line. With their help, we’re driving local patients and revenues back into our hospital and our community.”

Through a confidential analysis, we can help any rural hospital understand the value of out-migrated infusion services revenue and devise a plan to bring it back. Reach out to us if you’d like to have a free infusion outmigration analysis.

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