KOLKHORST HONORED BY TEXAS RURAL HOSPITALS

  

State Senator Lois Kolkhorst of Brenham was honored today (Thursday) by the Texas Organization of Rural and Community Hospitals (TORCH).

(from left): TORCH Government Relations Director Don McBeath, Senator Lois Kolkhorst, El Campo Memorial Hospital CEO Nathan Tudor, TORCH CEO John Henderson
(courtesy Office of Lois Kolkhorst)

Kolkhorst was awarded the Texas Rural Hospital TORCHbearer award, for her leadership role in supporting rural hospitals during the 86th Texas Legislature.  The statewide award presentation was held at El Campo Memorial Hospital, one of the 17 rural hospitals in Kolkhorst’s Senate district covering 21 counties.

TORCH, representing over 150 rural hospitals across the state, presents the award members of the state legislature who go above and beyond in their support of rural hospitals. TORCH said they presented Kolkhorst the award for her efforts to draw more attention to the plight of rural healthcare providers and provide more financial support.

TORCH CEO and President John Henderson said Kolkhorst, as Chair of the Senate Health and Human Services Committee, understands how important rural hospitals are to their communities, and how important rural Texas is to the state. He said among her priorities were partially restoring Medicaid payments to rural hospitals, spearheading bills to provide rural hospitals regulatory relief from state rules, and charting a future strategic path to continue providing access to care in rural areas.

Kolkhorst said it is important to remember that rural hospitals are “the safety net for the geographic majority of Texas, and they are vital resources in communities where no other care is available”. She said these hospitals are “the backbone of healthcare” for much of the state, and it is imperative that the state builds a better healthcare system to allow these facilities to “keep their doors open and deliver quality care”.

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