Hutchinson County Hospital District Board of Trustees – Borger, Texas
Texas Healthcare Trustees presents the Advocate of the Year Award to a hospital board that displays outstanding advocacy efforts on behalf of a hospital or health system. THT is proud to present its 2023 Advocate of the Year Award to the Hutchinson County Hospital District Board of Trustees.
The Hutchinson County Hospital District Board of Trustees, which consists of seven trustees (four elected and three appointed), is being recognized for its leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic, in ensuring funding for essential resources, and in stabilizing critical care access.
The Hutchinson County Hospital District Board of Trustees gallantly supported Golden Plains Community Hospital during the COVID-19 pandemic, as many others did, but with the challenge of not receiving vaccinations until much further into the pandemic. The board also recognized that the loss of DSRIP funding in 2022 would greatly impact the hospital’s ability to stay sustainable, yet their practical decision to transition away from an owner/operator model to a locally managed model kept the doors open.
The Hutchinson County Hospital District Board also realized that the organization must also pursue becoming a not-for-profit organization to eliminate the burden of sales tax, and property tax, allowing participation in the 340B program, and opening the doors to apply for much-needed grant funding. They accomplished this goal without increasing taxes, even though they are one of the lowest-taxing hospital districts in the state.
The Hutchinson County Hospital District Board members include:
- Jesse Shuffield, Chairman, Retired Community Service Manager for Xcel Energy
- Dr. Jock Lee, Vice-Chairman, Lee Veterinary Clinic
- Jim Corbitt, Board Member, Division Partner of Hydrotex Partners, LLC
- Jen Cobos, Board Member, Director of TRIO Student Support at Frank Phillips College
- Dr. Hank Landers, Board Member, Retired Orthopedic Surgeon and former Chief of Staff at Golden Plains Community Hospital
- Sandy Freriks, Board Member, mathematics teacher at West Texas High School