Colorado Rural Health Center Celebrates National Rural Health Day with Southwest Health System

The Colorado Rural Health Center, serving as both the State Office of Rural Health and State Rural Health Association, marked National Rural Health Day through a celebration with Southwest Health System in Cortez, Colorado. This annual observance, held on the third Thursday of November since 2011, recognizes rural communities and their essential contributions to healthcare across the state.

"National Rural Health Day is a day to celebrate the Power of Rural," stated 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!" The celebration at Southwest Memorial Hospital featured a locally catered meal and remarks from leadership of both organizations, along with the reading of a Governor's Proclamation honoring rural healthcare facilities statewide.

Southwest Health System CEO Joe Thein expressed appreciation for the recognition, noting "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." As a critical safety net hospital in geographically isolated Montezuma County, Southwest Health System provides urgent and emergent healthcare services alongside comprehensive primary and specialty care.

Lisa Gates, Southwest Health System Chief Nursing Officer, emphasized the dedication of rural healthcare providers during her remarks, stating "As stated in the governor's proclamation, 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 event underscored the vital importance of rural healthcare facilities in maintaining access to medical services for communities that might otherwise face significant healthcare disparities.

Mills concluded the celebration by affirming "It's a true joy to celebrate the work of Southwest Health System and so many other incredible facilities in rural Colorado today. Thank you to all our rural facilities and communities on this National Rural Health Day!" The Colorado Rural Health Center, established in 1991, continues its mission to enhance healthcare services through information, education, and resources addressing rural health challenges. Additional information about the organization's work is available at https://www.coruralhealth.org.