I’m not a shrink.

Although I’ve counseled my fair share of rural health CEOs on a variety of issues, like how to retain patients locally or build support from their board of directors, I leave the professional therapy to actual behavioral health experts.

What I do remember from Psychology 101 is the concept of a self-fulfilling prophecy, or a belief that things happen because we are acting as if they are already true. Sometimes this belief helps create a positive outcome, or in the case of many rural health news reports, they create a negative perception of the facts. You read the headlines and see reports almost daily on rural hospital closings, staff reductions, physician recruitment challenges, decreased reimbursement, and increased labor, health insurance, and technology costs.

Working alongside rural health CEO partners to build volume and add new service lines, we focus our efforts on what forward-thinking organizations are doing. We learn from their successes and failures to help shape our strategy. We can accomplish remarkable results as we change our thinking to what could be, and the importance rural health plays in the physical and economic health of our communities. You see, our expectation of a particular outcome changes our behavior and shapes the way key stakeholders – such as prospective patients, providers, and employees – view us.

This is why I love rural health. Through these positive experiences with innovative rural health leaders, I see firsthand that rural health is not inferior medicine. In fact, based on its unique ability to provide personalized care and meet the needs of the underserved, it is actually the new model for more efficient care.

Throughout my career as a healthcare marketer, I’ve worked in the c-suite as a member of the leadership team in a variety of environments including health systems, multi-specialty practices, medical devices, behavioral health and rural health. Later, I founded a nationally recognized healthcare marketing firm, where I found my passion for rural health strategy and helping grow rural health organizations.

In 2022, I sold my business and continue my interest in rural health as Senior Vice President for BVK Health, a healthcare marketing firm and National Rural Health Association (NRHA) partner with a 40-year history of serving rural health, health systems, health plans and other healthcare organizations throughout the nation. I continue my focus on planning but have also helped to develop a proprietary solution called Rural Healthcare on Demand that enables rural healthcare organizations to target prospective patients in an incredibly effective and affordable way. To learn more, I encourage you to register here for our next NRHA webinar, Reimagining Rural Healthcare Marketing, on March 7 at 2 pm CDT.

I hope this blog helps you learn new ways to creatively grow your rural health organization. You will acquire techniques such as engaging your board of directors and transforming them into advocates for your organization. In addition, I will share success stories from colleagues around the country that will provide useful ideas you can mold to your own situation. I would also love to hear your story. You can connect with me at [email protected].

In my next blog, Mike Goes to Washington, I’ll discuss key takeaways from this month’s National Rural Health Association Public Policy Institute and share insights from my visits with members of Congress advocating for rural health.

All ideas may not be new to you, but collectively they will inspire and motivate you to challenge your thinking, shape your behavior and actions, and not accept the doom and gloom prevalent in the industry. You might even laugh along the way as you realize that even though you’re at the top of your organization, you’re not alone.

Now let’s get to work.

Register for our next Webinar!

Please join Mike Milligan for BVK Health’s next webinar, Reimagining Rural Healthcare Marketing on March 7th at 2 pm CST, where you’ll learn techniques for thinking big on a small budget, reducing outmigration and increasing outpatient volumes. Visit here to Register Now.