Persistence Pays Off: TCMH Team Helps Patient Overcome Insurance Barriers to Receive Needed Surgery
June 16, 2026
Texas County Memorial Hospital has been awarded approximately $148,000 in grant funding through the Delta Regional Authority to support several technology and patient care projects, board members heard at their monthly meeting on Tuesday.
The funding will support several initiatives designed to improve patient care, strengthen hospital technology systems, and expand access to specialized healthcare services for patients throughout Texas County. Because the grant is reimbursement-based, all equipment purchases and project implementation must be completed by August 1.
“The Delta grant funding allows us to move forward immediately with several important projects that will improve patient care, strengthen our technology infrastructure, and support our clinical staff,” Bill Bridges, TCMH chief executive officer, said. “These investments help ensure our rural communities continue to have access to high-quality healthcare services close to home.”
Projects funded through the grant include new TruBridge interfaces for the hospital’s electronic records system, sleep laboratory equipment and technology integration, blood administration technology, 40 computers and monitors, and RapidAI software licensing for the upcoming year. Bridges said purchasing and implementation activities are already underway.
One of the largest projects involves implementation of a new vRad interface through the hospital’s TruBridge electronic health record system. vRad is one of the nation’s leading teleradiology providers, connecting hospitals with board-certified, subspecialty-trained radiologists who provide diagnostic image interpretations 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
The interface will allow imaging studies performed at TCMH to be securely transmitted to remote radiologists for interpretation during overnight hours, weekends, and periods of increased demand. Finalized reports will automatically return to the patient’s electronic medical record, allowing physicians to receive results more quickly and improving access to specialty radiology expertise.
“Access to subspecialty radiologists is especially important in rural healthcare,” Bridges said. “This technology allows our providers to receive timely interpretations while keeping patients close to home.”
The hospital is also expanding its sleep laboratory capabilities through a new interface that directly connects sleep study equipment to the electronic health record. The integration allows diagnostic information and sleep study results to automatically flow into the patient’s medical record, improving efficiency and reducing duplicate documentation.
Additionally, TCMH is implementing enhanced blood administration technology that provides additional safety measures during blood transfusions. The system electronically verifies blood products against patient information, improves blood product tracking and traceability, and allows nursing staff to document transfusions at the bedside.
These projects are supported by the hospital’s TruBridge electronic health record system, which is designed specifically for community and rural hospitals and allows departments to securely share information, streamline workflows, and improve communication among providers.
“These technology projects help position TCMH for the future,” Bridges said. “As healthcare continues to evolve, it is essential that rural hospitals invest in technology that supports patient safety, improves efficiency, and expands access to specialty services.”
April Crites, TCMH quality and risk management director, reported positive patient satisfaction scores across several departments. Inpatient satisfaction scores remained stable in May at 87 percent overall, while the Emergency Department experienced an 11 percent increase in overall satisfaction scores and nearly a three percent increase in top-box scores. Outpatient ambulatory surgery scores increased 11 percent overall and one percent in top-box scores.
“Our teams continue to focus on providing an exceptional patient experience,” Crites said. “These results reflect the compassion, dedication, and quality care our employees provide every day.”
Crites also announced that TCMH has joined a Patient Safety Organization (PSO) to strengthen quality improvement efforts and support the hospital’s goal of zero preventable harm.
Patient Safety Organizations provide healthcare organizations with a confidential environment to evaluate patient safety events, identify opportunities for improvement, and share best practices designed to enhance patient care. The program also offers legal protections for patient safety activities and encourages open reporting, learning, and collaboration among healthcare providers.
Crites said participation in the PSO allows TCMH to voluntarily and confidentially report patient safety concerns and use that information to improve processes and outcomes while protecting the organization’s quality improvement work.
“Our goal is zero preventable harm,” Crites said. “Joining a Patient Safety Organization gives us additional tools and resources to learn from experiences, improve processes, and continue building a culture focused on patient safety.”
Courtney Owens, TCMH chief nursing officer, reported that TCMH recently received official notification from the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services that the hospital successfully achieved Level III Stroke Center certification with no deficiencies identified during the survey process.
The certification survey took place during the first week of May, with the official approval letter recently received.
“Receiving our Level III Stroke Center certification with no deficiencies is a tremendous accomplishment for our organization,” Owens said. “This recognition demonstrates the commitment of our emergency department, nursing staff, physicians, radiology team, and all departments involved in providing rapid stroke care to our patients.”
Bridges reported that the TCMH Healthcare Foundation Golf Tournament raised $26,294.62 to support healthcare programs and services.
“The support we receive from our community continues to make a tremendous difference,” Bridges said. “Whether through grants, fundraising events, or community partnerships, these investments help us continue strengthening healthcare services throughout our region.”
Bridges provided board members with an update on the Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP), noting that TCMH has submitted a Horizon One funding request totaling approximately $1.83 million. The application includes approximately $1.74 million in project funding and an additional five percent administrative allowance for grant management and administration and is currently under review by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
Bridges explained that Horizon One includes approximately $30 million available to hospitals statewide, while Horizon Two includes approximately $12 million in funding, with eligibility and priorities still being defined. He said TCMH plans to pursue Horizon Two opportunities for any projects not funded under the first round.
Bridges also reported that he, Ross Richardson, board of trustee’s vice-chairman, and Owens recently attended the Missouri Hospital Association Leadership Conference in Chesterfield, MO.
The conference addressed several issues affecting hospitals across Missouri, including healthcare reimbursement and insurance challenges, workplace violence prevention, leadership development, and employee engagement.
“Healthcare organizations continue to face significant financial and operational challenges, particularly related to reimbursement and payer relations,” Bridges said. “One of the most valuable sessions focused on the changing insurance landscape and the reimbursement issues that hospitals are navigating every day.”
Bridges said attending conferences such as this helps ensure rural hospitals remain informed and prepared as healthcare continues to evolve.
Linda Pamperien, TCMH chief financial officer, presented the May financials, which reflected a decrease of $384,177 in overall revenues from budgeted monthly expectations.
“Our outpatient revenue increased $198,116, a 2.5 percent increase and our inpatient revenue decreased $568,012, a 40.8 percent decrease from our budgeted monthly expectations,” Pamperien said.
According to Pamperien, the hospital had 53 admissions in May, down 50 admissions from the same time frame in 2025, with 430 admissions year-to-date.
The financial report reflected a negative bottom line for May, with a decrease of $349,027 and a year-to-date loss of $885,695. Earnings before interest, depreciation, and amortization (EBIDA) for the month were negative at $81,416.
Present at the meeting were Bridges; Crites; Owens; Pamperien; Helania Wulff, public relations and marketing; Christopher Baldwin, MD, chief of staff; and board members Jim Perry, OD; Ross Richardson, Joleen Durham, and Jennifer Hugenot. Present via teleconference was board member Jerri Crump.
The next meeting of the TCMH board of trustees is scheduled for Tuesday, July 28, at noon in the hospital board room.