The Colorado Rural Health Center, serving as both the State Office of Rural Health and State Rural Health Association, marked National Rural Health Day with celebrations at Southwest Health System in Cortez, Colorado. The annual observance, held on the third Thursday of November since 2011, recognizes the essential contributions of rural communities and healthcare providers throughout the state.
"National Rural Health Day is a day to celebrate the Power of Rural," said CRHC CEO Michelle Mills. "Each year on National Rural Health Day, we take some time to pause and acknowledge how important rural healthcare facilities are to communities across rural and frontier Colorado!"
This year's celebration featured a locally catered meal and remarks from leadership of both organizations at Southwest Memorial Hospital, which serves as a critical safety net facility in Montezuma County. The CRHC secured and presented a Governor's Proclamation honoring rural healthcare facilities statewide for their service to communities.
Southwest Health System CEO Joe Thein expressed appreciation for the recognition, stating, "We're honored today to have CRHC recognizing the good work at Southwest Health System and the work we do every day to care for people. It's a real honor to have our staff, our caregivers, and the people in our community who we partner with every day together to celebrate rural healthcare nationally, within our state, and in our own community."
The health system's significance extends beyond emergency services, providing comprehensive primary and specialty care to patients in the geographically isolated region. Lisa Gates, Southwest Health System Chief Nursing Officer, emphasized the dedication of rural healthcare workers during her remarks, noting that "rural healthcare providers and staff are the back bone of medical care in our community. With unwavering commitment, resourcefulness, and compassion, [we] ensure our everyday patients receive essential health services, often under challenging circumstances."
The celebration underscores the ongoing challenges facing rural healthcare delivery, where facilities often operate with limited resources while serving populations with significant healthcare needs. Rural hospitals like Southwest Memorial provide essential services that would otherwise require patients to travel long distances, making them indispensable to community health and economic stability.
For additional information about rural healthcare initiatives in Colorado, visit https://www.coruralhealth.org. Mills concluded the celebration by expressing gratitude to "all our rural facilities and communities on this National Rural Health Day," reinforcing the importance of continued support for rural healthcare infrastructure across the state.
