Last week we talked with Randy Farrow, CEO of Mankato Clinic, and Julie Gerndt, chief medical officer, about the challenges of recruiting health care workers in rural areas. This week we talk about the financial challenges of providing health care in rural areas. Sources of payments in particular have been problematic, but new federal programs are helping rural providers survive better in low-volume areas.

Talking rural health care, part 2

Randy Farrow, CEO of the Mankato Clinic, and Chief Medical Officer Julie Gerndt join Jim to talk about some of the challenges with providing health care in rural areas these days. This week, the topic is recruiting health care providers to small towns, where they may have to become the jack of all trades, covering everything from the emergency room to delivering babies.

Health care in rural Minnesota, part 1

This week we have part 2 of our conversation with Steve Wenzel on funding for MnSCU schools and its impact on Greater Minnesota. The history of tuition, for vocational schools in particular, lends some context to present-day funding issues. Steve is a longtime state legislator, former state director for USDA, and currently a professor at Central Lakes College in Brainerd.

A conversation with Steve Wenzel, part 2

Steve Wenzel, long-time legislator from Little Falls, past state director for USDA, and now an instructor at Central Lakes College in Brainerd, joined us this week for the first of a two-part conversation on state funding for MnSCU schools and their importance to Greater Minnesota.

A conversation with Steve Wenzel, part 1