Office of the Lt. Governor

TOPEKA–Kansas Lt. Governor Jeff Colyer, M.D., a Hays native, has announced the selection of nine members for the Rural Health Working Group. As requested by Governor Sam Brownback in his State of the State address, the working group will address the problems of health care delivery in rural Kansas. The working group will present a proposal to Governor Brownback in early 2017.

“The Rural Health Working Group brings together a wealth of professional knowledge and personal experience to address rural healthcare access and outcomes with Kansas solutions,” Lt. Governor Colyer said in a news release. “As a fifth generation rural Kansan and physician, I understand that rural hospitals are often the lifeblood of their community. We must continue to form Kansas solutions to sustain rural health care.”

Working group members have diverse backgrounds and include frontline stakeholders, rural hospital administrators, policy makers. The inaugural meeting will be held during the 2016 legislative session.

Rural Health Working Group members include Dr. Jenifer Cook, a rural physician. Since completing her residency, Dr. Cook has worked in 18 Kansas towns outside of Wichita. Within the past year, she has worked in Russell, Larned, Greensburg, Clay Center and Pratt.

Rural Health Working Group Members

Chair
Lt. Governor Jeff Colyer, M.D.

Members
Senator Mary Pilcher-Cook, Public Health and Welfare Chair
Representative Daniel Hawkins, Health and Human Services Chair
Senator Mitch Holmes, Rural legislator, St. John
Representative Jim Kelly, Rural legislator, Independence
Linda Stalcup, Stevens County Hospital CEO, Hugoton
Dr. Jenifer Cook, Rural Physician, Russell
Kari Bruffett, Kansas Health Institute Director of Policy
Secretary Susan Mosier, Kansas Department of Health and Environment