The opportunities and challenges now evolving for community hospitals may surprise people, said Rich Scheinblum, president and CEO of Monadnock Community Hospital.
Scheinblum will speak at this month’s “Stories to Share” event at the Jaffrey Civic Center on Friday, Nov. 6. His talk, “The Promise and Challenges of Small Hospital Healthcare,” will start at 5 p.m., followed by a Q&A and reception.
Scheinblum will explain his role in ensuring Monadnock Community Hospital continues to serve the region by providing excellent care and evolving to meet the continued challenges facing healthcare.
“MCH has served this region for more than a century, and the connection between the hospital and the community is what makes it special,” Scheinblum said in an email. “My responsibility is to help protect that promise for the next generation.”
Scheinblum plans to address the role hospitals like MCH play in their communities, and how they impact overall quality of life in the region.
“A community hospital is far more than a building with an emergency room. It’s part of a community’s life: a place to work, a place where families have shared important moments, and a place to turn when someone you love needs care,” Scheinblum said. “When people think about what makes a town a good place to live, they think of schools, they think of culture, and they think of safety, but access to good healthcare close to home belongs on that list, and it doesn’t happen by accident. It exists because a community decided it was worth having and keeps choosing to support it. “
Scheinblum has more than 31 years of healthcare experience and has spent over 25 of those years at MCH. Before being appointed CEO, Scheinblum was the chief financial officer for 19 years. He serves on the board of the New Hampshire Hospital Association, is the treasurer of the Greater Monadnock Collaborative, and is on the finance committee of the Monadnock United Way.
Scheinblum will also talk about some of the lesser-known challenges of running a community hospital.
“One thing that may surprise people is the cost of being ready. An emergency department needs a team and access to lab and imaging services, whether it’s a quiet night or a very busy one,” he said. “We also have to recruit and retain skilled people, maintain our facilities and technology and plan around uncertainty in healthcare funding.”
Rural hospitals, especially, are facing financial pressures as they navigate sweeping changes to Medicaid. New Hampshire is also receiving hundreds of millions of federal funding dollars to direct toward rural healthcare.
Despite the critical challenges facing healthcare, Scheinblum said he’s genuinely optimistic about the promise of small hospitals.
“What gives me the most confidence is our people and their commitment to making care better,” Scheinblum said. “I see opportunity in better coordination, thoughtful partnerships and technology that helps caregivers rather than getting in their way. For me, progress means making it easier to get an appointment, helping patients understand their next steps and supporting the teams caring for them. We don’t have to do everything ourselves to serve our community well. We need to provide excellent care locally where we can and help people reach the right care when they need services elsewhere. That’s a future worth working toward.”
To register for in-person attendance at Stories to Share, visit https://jaffreyciviccenter.com/stories/, or call JCC Executive Director Hallie Driscoll at 603-532-6527. Attendees are strongly encouraged to reserve seats ahead of time, as events do fill up. The event is free and open to the public, but donations to the Civic Center are welcome.
For more information about Monadnock Community Hospital, go to: https://monadnockcommunityhospital.com.
