(Joplin, MO) – Healthcare providers and community organizations across southwest Missouri are coming together through Missouri’s Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP) to strengthen healthcare access, coordination, and outcomes for rural residents. The initiative, known as
Transformation of Rural Community Health (ToRCH Care), encourages collaboration among hospitals, clinics, behavioral health providers, public health agencies, EMS organizations, and community partners to address local healthcare challenges and improve the health of the
communities they serve. As part of this statewide effort, Freeman Health System has been selected to serve as the Community Hub Anchor for its regional hub.
The ToRCH Care model is designed to bring together healthcare providers, community organizations, public health agencies, emergency medical services, pharmacies, behavioral health providers, and other stakeholders to address local health needs and improve care coordination throughout Missouri’s rural communities. Hub Anchors serve as conveners, supporting collaboration and helping regional partners identify opportunities to improve health outcomes and access to care.
Freeman will work alongside key regional partners, including Mercy Joplin, CoxHealth, Joplin Regional Alliance for Health/JRAHC, local public health agencies, EMS providers, behavioral health organizations, and community-based partners to support the goals of the initiative and strengthen
healthcare services across the region.
“This opportunity is about partnership,” said Renee Denton, President of Freeman’s Missouri and Kansas Markets. “No single organization can address every healthcare challenge facing rural communities. By working together with hospitals, clinics, community organizations, and other
stakeholders, we have an opportunity to strengthen care coordination, improve access, and better serve the patients and families who rely on us.”
The Missouri Department of Social Services recently announced the selection of 27 Hub Anchor organizations across the state, marking the transition from planning to implementation of Missouri’s Rural Health Transformation Program. The initiative seeks to create a more connected healthcare
experience by fostering collaboration among organizations already serving local communities.
As Community Hub Anchor, Freeman’s role will be to help coordinate regional efforts, facilitate communication among participating organizations, support governance activities, and identify shared opportunities to improve healthcare access and outcomes.
To support this work, Freeman plans to recruit a dedicated Hub Coordinator. This position will serve as a resource for participating organizations, help coordinate meetings and planning efforts, facilitate communication among partners, and assist with implementation of initiatives identified through the collaborative process.
“The addition of a Hub Coordinator reflects our commitment to ensuring this work is collaborative, organized, and focused on community needs,” said Denton. “This role will help connect partners, support regional planning efforts, and ensure we continue building strong relationships that benefit
the communities we serve.”
Over the coming months, participating organizations will work together to identify regional priorities, strengthen connections between healthcare and community resources, and develop strategies that improve care delivery and health outcomes throughout the region.
About Freeman Health System
Locally owned and nationally recognized, Freeman Health System is a not-for-profit health system serving communities across Missouri, Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Kansas through a network of hospitals, physician clinics, outpatient locations, and specialty services. The system includes Freeman Hospital West, Freeman Hospital East, Freeman Neosho Hospital, and the Freeman Health System facilities in Bentonville, Springdale, Willow Creek, and Siloam Springs. Freeman Health System also operates Ozark Center—the region’s largest provider of behavioral health services, and offers comprehensive cancer, cardiology, neurology and neurosurgery, orthopedics, and women’s and children’s services. The system is supported by more than 7,000 employees and is the only Children’s Miracle Network Hospital in a 70-mile radius. For more information, visit freemanhealth.com.
Reference:
Kevin McClintock, Media Relations Coordinator
Freeman Health System
417.434.3458
KSMcclintock@freemanhealth.com
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