Like a wayward son coming home after swearing off the small town in which he was raised, many of us have been recently challenged to reframe our thinking of what is truly important. Our attention has also turned closer to home: to the four walls we reside in, the family members we engage throughout our day, and the local businesses we support and hope to sustain. In a sea of unknown, the things and people that truly matter have taken center stage.
ARHP was founded by a handful of rural hospital leaders that knew the significance and stabilizing force of home and community. We recognized early on that if we wanted to continue shaping the health and wellness of our communities, then we had to work together - hand in hand with our neighbors, local leaders, and other rural hospitals in south Arkansas. We had to continually listen to the concerns and needs of our friends and neighbors and then frame our service delivery to move the needle on the issues that matter most.
Over the next decade, we discovered that our local wells ran deep with opportunity, talent, and promise. We chose to focus our energies on strengthening existing local infrastructure that frames healthcare, both within and outside of our hospital walls. This journey naturally led us to reach into and partner alongside school systems and universities, medical schools, hometown health alliances, community engagement groups, and beyond. We chose to work alongside our neighboring rural hospitals and safety net providers, rather than fear them. These small, but deliberate steps forward have made all the difference.
While rural hospitals across the country are closing at record speed, ARHP member hospitals find themselves prepared to battle the current storm. By supporting the mission and work of ARHP, you support our rural hospitals, locally available healthcare, and much of the infrastructure in our hometowns. We invite you to join us in our efforts to keep our rural hospitals not only open, but thriving.