Boone Memorial Health President & CEO, Virgil Underwood, and General Counsel & Chief External Affairs Officer, Ray Harrell, traveled to Washington, D.C. in mid-November to meet with members of West Virginia’s congressional delegation, including Congresswoman Carol Miller, Senator Shelley Moore Capito, and Senator Joe Manchin III. Discussions focused on efforts to address the unique challenges of rural healthcare in southern West Virginia and the innovative work being done to support our patients and communities.
In honor of National Rural Health Month, Virgil and Ray also participated in a roundtable with the Congressional Bipartisan Rural Health Caucus, co-chaired by U.S. Representative Jill Tokuda and Rep. Diana Harshbarger, alongside Congresswoman Miller and Rep. Becca Balint. This collaborative session allowed BMH and other rural health systems to share the challenges and opportunities facing our communities and highlight how we’re working to improve access to high-quality care.
We are grateful to our congressional leaders for their dedication to advancing rural health initiatives and their continued support for our mission of providing compassionate, comprehensive care close to home.
