South Williamson, Ky. – Mitch Whitaker, representative-elect for Pike, Letcher and Harlan counties, recently visited Tug Valley ARH Regional Medical Center for a tour, lunch and a roundtable discussion on the state of healthcare in eastern Kentucky.

“It was great having representative-elect Whitaker on-site to speak with employees, tour the hospital and learn about our services and the challenges we face in healthcare at ARH and across eastern Kentucky,” said Tug Valley ARH CEO Paula Vaughan. “It’s important for us to collaborate with our leaders who share the same goal as we do to ensure patients have access to quality healthcare.”

ARH Vice President of External Affairs Rocky Massey agreed.

“It’s very important that we get to know our lawmakers,” he said. “Our discussions revolved around our commitment to protecting rural healthcare, and it was wonderful to learn that Representative-elect Whitaker shares that same commitment.

“We are grateful to him for taking the time to visit with us.”

Pictured, left to right, LTACH COO James Maynard, Tug Valley ARH CEO Paula Vaughan, Kentucky Representative-elect Mitch Whitaker, and ARH Vice President of Affairs Rocky Massey.

# # #

Appalachian Regional Healthcare (ARH), is a not-for-profit health system operating 14 hospitals in Barbourville, Hazard, Harlan, Hyden, Martin, McDowell, Middlesboro, Paintsville, Prestonsburg, West Liberty, Whitesburg, and South Williamson in Kentucky and Beckley and Hinton in West Virginia, as well as multi-specialty physician practices, home health agencies, home medical equipment stores and retail pharmacies and medical spas. ARH employs approximately 6,400 people with an annual payroll and benefits of $474 million generated into our local economies. ARH also has a network of more than 1,300 providers on staff across its multi-state system. ARH is the largest provider of care and the single largest employer in southeastern Kentucky, and the third-largest private employer in southern West Virginia.