Eastern Shore Rural Health attends National Policy and Issues Forum

Pictured:

Eastern Shore Rural Health Interim CEO Jeannette Edwards (left) and Rural Health Board President Dr. Betty Bibbins (right) met with Sen. Tim Kaine as part of the National Association of Community Health Centers Policy & Issues Forum in Washington D.C. on March 9.

Advocated for Continued Support of Community Health Centers

Eastern Shore Rural Health System, Inc. leaders attended the National Association of Community Health Centers Policy & Issues Forum in Washington D.C. March 8-11. Board President Dr. Betty Bibbins, Interim CEO and Chief Human Resources Officer Jeannette Edwards, Chief Medical Officer Dr. Joan Lingen, Chief Nursing Officer Jennifer Tyler, Chief Compliance Officer Kim Savage and Director of Communications and Development Director Amy Bull attended.

The forum draws thousands of Community Health Center professionals and leaders from around the country to focus on critical health care issues and hear from thought leaders and top health care officials in Washington. Health center advocates also visit Capitol Hill to advocate for long-term and stable funding in the new decade. Since the nation’s first Community Health Centers opened in 1965, expansion of the federally supported health center system to over 1,400 organizations has created an affordable health care option for more than 30 million people. Eastern Shore Rural Health is a Community Health Center serving two out of three individuals on Virginia’s Eastern Shore.

As part of the Forum, Rural Health representatives met with staffers from Sen. Mark Warner and Rep. Jen Kiggans’ office and the board president and interim CEO attended a special meeting with Sen. Tim Kaine. At the Forum, the latest on various key issues were discussed. Of special importance was an update on the 340b program, this federal program allows qualifying hospitals and health centers that treat low-income and uninsured patients to buy outpatient prescription drugs at a discount. These drugs are then provided to qualified patients at a discounted price. Community Health Centers like Eastern Shore Rural Health are required to use program proceeds to provide services for its patients – 340b profits helped Rural Health build the new Eastville Community Health Center, for example.

Staff Member Recognized

A Forum highlight was the recognition of Rural Health Outreach Coordinator Juan Gomez as a recipient of the Geiger Gibson Program’s 2023 Emerging Leader awards. The Geiger Gibson Program  recognizes and celebrates young leaders whose specific work has helped further the health center mission of health care and better health for medically underserved patients, communities, and special populations.