NM Department of Health recognizes top performing rural hospitals and providers

Category: Non-Local News Releases Non-Local News Releases
Published: 15 November 2017 15 November 2017

SANTA FE, NM – Today, the New Mexico Department of Health (NMDOH) honors the dedication of health professionals, hospitals, and clinics in rural communities across New Mexico by recognizing Thursday, November 16th as National Rural Health Day. The theme for this year's observance is the "Celebrating the Power of Rural".

The NMDOH Office of Primary Care and Rural Health is marking the occasion by acknowledging eight top-performing hospitals in patient outcomes and patient satisfaction as well as 30 rural emergency medical services (EMS) medical directors working in areas across New Mexico with Critical Access Hospitals.

"National Rural Health Day gives us a chance to recognize the unique healthcare challenges that rural citizens face and to showcase how we are working together with rural healthcare providers to address those challenges," said New Mexico Department of Health Cabinet Secretary Lynn Gallagher. "It's also an opportunity for us to applaud the ongoing efforts, contributions, and collaborations in our rural communities."

The following rural hospitals are being recognized for reaching top quartile performance status in patient outcomes and patient satisfaction when compared to all acute care hospitals in the nation. These rankings have been determined through iVantage Health Analytics' Hospital Strength Index:

Hospitals Recognized for Excellence in Patient Outcomes:
Carlsbad Medical Center, Holy Cross Hospital, Nor-Lea Hospital, Gila Regional Medical Center, Presbyterian Espanola Hospital, and Socorro General Hospital

Hospitals Recognized for Excellence in Patient Satisfaction:
Guadalupe County Hospital, Dr. Dan C. Trigg Memorial Hospital, and Nor-Lea Hospital

Rural EMS Medical Directors Recognized:
Joy Crook, Emily Pearce, Carl Gutierrez, Chelsea White, Ehab Ali, Donald Belknap, James Cardasis, Doug Dixon, Paul Bublis, Chad Carver, Dominic Chibueze, Patrick Homer, Walter Ray Seidel, Stephen Otero, Basam Homsi, Russ Baker, Delmar Kampe, George Evetts, Albert Kwan, Dale Kester, Kyoung Ho Lee, Edgar Billowitz, David Kunz, Eileen Comstock, Elizabeth McMillan, Craig Rhyne, Loretta Conder, Randall Brown, Ryan Hodnick and Lonnie Alexander

The National Organization of State Offices of Rural Health (NOSORH) created National Rural Health Day to increase awareness of rural health-related issues and to promote the efforts of State Offices of Rural Health and others in addressing those issues.

"Meeting the unique healthcare needs of our rural citizens is constantly evolving," said Lynn Carroll, Director of the NMDOH Public Health Division. "As rural communities face accessibility issues, a lack of healthcare providers, an aging population suffering from a greater number of chronic conditions, and larger percentages of uninsured and underinsured citizens, we must work together to improve access to, and the quality of, health care for our rural citizens."

Approximately 465,000 people – nearly one in four New Mexicans – live in rural communities throughout the state.

For more information about the NMDOH Office of Primary Care & Rural Health, visit https://nmhealth.org/about/phd/hsb/oprh/.

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