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In honor of Native American Heritage Month, REDW Principal and National Tribal Practice Leader Wes Benally sits down with Principal Chief Geoffrey Standing Bear of the Osage Nation for a profound conversation about leadership, cultural respect, and the journey that shaped one of Indian Country's most experienced leaders.

Chief Standing Bear, now in his third term as Osage Nation Principal Chief, shares his remarkable path from University of Oklahoma law student during the American Indian Movement era to becoming general counsel of the Muscogee Creek Nation in his late twenties. He recounts his involvement in filing the first federal Indian gaming case in Oklahoma in November 1984, his work with multiple Tribes, and his service as General Counsel to the Oklahoma Indian Gaming Association. The conversation explores the cultural teachings that guide his leadership, the importance of humility and surrounding yourself with experienced advisors, and the critical need to understand and respect each Tribe's unique sovereignty, traditions, and ways of connecting with the sacred.

Chapters

• 00:00 - Introduction and Welcome
• 01:25 - The Path to Leadership
• 02:53 - University Days and the American Indian Movement
• 05:03 - Law School and Early Career
• 07:22 - The First Indian Gaming Cases in Oklahoma
• 09:12 - Cultural Teachings and Finding Your Way Home
• 15:32 - Building the Osage Nation
• 21:45 - Economic Development and Diversification
• 28:18 - Healthcare and Community Services
• 35:45 - Election Integrity and Tribal Governance
• 40:45 - Respect First

A Message for Native American Heritage Month - As we celebrate Native American Heritage Month, Chief Standing Bear's wisdom reminds us that true partnership with Indian Country begins with genuine respect and understanding. Each Tribal Nation has its own constitution, culture, and sacred traditions that deserve our time and attention to learn about properly. Whether you're a business advisor, service provider, or community partner, remember that you're entering their country and are there to help—not to impose. This kind of respect, paired with REDW's deep commitment to serving Tribal Nations with integrity and cultural understanding, creates the foundation for meaningful, lasting partnerships.

REDW Advisors and CPAs is proud to bring you the Insight in Indian Country Podcast, covering important advisory, accounting, and finance topics that impact Tribal Nations and business affairs. Thanks for listening!

Visit our website👉 https://www.redw.com/tribes/insight-in-indian-country/

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Sage Memorial Hospital's journey from a four-room adobe building in 1911 to a state-of-the-art healthcare facility represents more than a century of serving the Ganado community. This episode, REDW National Tribal Practice Leader Wes Benally welcomes Melinda White, CEO of Sage Memorial Hospital, to discuss the hospital's remarkable transformation and its commitment to blending Western medicine with traditional Navajo healing practices.

Melinda, who was born at Sage and returned as CEO three years ago, shares how the hospital is redefining healthcare in Indian Country—from building sweat lodges and hiring traditional healers to implementing cutting-edge technology and expanding critical services like ICU, dialysis, and elder care. She discusses workforce challenges, the importance of keeping patients close to home, and the vision for continued growth while maintaining the strong foundation of traditional values.

Chapters

• 00:00 - Introduction and Welcome
• 01:03 - Melinda's Background and Connection to Sage Memorial Hospital
• 03:54 - The History: From 1911 Mission to Modern Healthcare
• 08:47 - Incorporating Traditional Values in Modern Care
• 12:34 - Innovation and Modernizing Healthcare Delivery
• 15:55 - Workforce Challenges and Hiring the Right People
• 19:49 - Patient Stories and Keeping Families Closer to Home
• 23:16 - Measuring Success: KPIs and Quality Indicators
• 26:55 - Vision for the Next 5-10 Years

Takeaways

• At Sage Memorial Hospital, traditional healing programs, including sweat lodges, medicine men/women, and future hooghan construction, are being integrated with Western medical care.
• The new facility achieved a complete transition to paperless operations with comprehensive electronic health records encompassing clinical and financial systems.
• Key expansion services include ICU, inpatient dialysis, swing beds, elder care facilities, and future plans for labor and delivery and surgical units.
• The hospital's core mission focuses on reducing patient transfers and keeping families closer to home, lessening the financial and emotional burden of traveling to distant facilities.
• Quality initiatives are measured through hospital-wide KPIs across four pillars: finance, community, people (HR), and quality.

Quality Services. Quality Outcomes.
REDW was honored to support Sage Memorial Hospital's transformation through our Client Advisory and Accounting Services (CAAS), Business Valuation, and Risk Advisory expertise. This journey demonstrates a powerful truth: investing in quality advisory services yields the best return. If your tribal healthcare organization is navigating growth or transformation, our team is here to help.

👉 Connect with Wes

REDW Advisors and CPAs is proud to bring you the Insight in Indian Country Podcast, covering important advisory, accounting, and finance topics that impact Tribal Nations and business affairs. Thanks for listening!

Visit our website👉 https://www.redw.com/tribes/insight-in-indian-country/

Send us a text

Revenue cycle management isn't just a back-office operation—it's a strategic tool for strengthening care delivery in Tribal communities. This episode, REDW National Tribal Practice Leader Wes Benally sits down with Melissa C. Goad, CRCR, CPA, MBA, a healthcare finance veteran with 30 years of experience spanning both payer and provider perspectives. Melissa shares her transformative journey as CFO of a 638 Tribal Healthcare Facility on the Navajo Reservation, where she led a comprehensive revenue cycle optimization initiative that delivered a tenfold return on investment.

From fixing data flow challenges and reducing denials by up to a third, to implementing culturally sensitive front-end operations and embracing industry best practices, Melissa's insights offer a practical roadmap for Tribal healthcare organizations looking to maximize reimbursements and close gaps in care. Her approach? Take it layer by layer, build cross-functional teams, and remember that optimizing revenue cycles ultimately means securing the resources needed to serve the community better.

Chapters

· 00:00 - Introduction and Melissa's Healthcare Background

· 02:05 - The Importance of Revenue Cycle Management

· 04:45 - Assessing Opportunities in Tribal Healthcare Settings

· 06:36 - Embracing Industry Best Practices

· 12:24 - Denials Management and Registration Challenges

· 17:37 - Data Flow and EHR Customization Issues

· 20:13 - The Power of Cross-Functional Teams

· 25:05 - Cultural Considerations in Tribal Healthcare

Takeaways

· Revenue cycle optimization is about ensuring continuity of care and honoring commitments to the community, not just financial health.

· Tribal healthcare facilities face unique challenges including geographic isolation, staffing limitations, complex billing regulations like the All-Inclusive Rate (AIR), and often inadequate technology.

· Starting with a thorough assessment before implementing changes prevents costly assumptions and builds a strong foundation for improvement.

· Registration is one of the most critical points in the revenue cycle—if data starts wrong, it ends wrong.

· Cross-functional teams that include both clinical and revenue cycle staff are essential for identifying and fixing denial patterns.

· Cultural sensitivity in patient-facing operations, including language support and understanding Tribal-specific requirements like CBI collection, strengthens both patient experience and reimbursement accuracy.

· Organizations can expect to see returns within 6 months of implementing systematic fixes, with some facilities achieving tenfold ROI on revenue cycle investments.

Ready to Strengthen Your Revenue Cycle?

Whether you're considering a 638 transition or looking to improve existing operations, connect with REDW's Tribal healthcare advisors to explore how we can help strengthen your organization's financial health and expand care for your community.

👉 Learn more about 638 Healthcare Transition Support

👉 Explore Accounting Advisory Services

REDW Advisors and CPAs is proud to bring you the Insight in Indian Country Podcast, covering important advisory, accounting, and finance topics that impact Tribal Nations and business affairs. Thanks for listening!

Visit our website👉 https://www.redw.com/tribes/insight-in-indian-country/