August 22, 2026 Issue, Page 11 of 14

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The Elk City News SATURDAY, AUGUST 22, 2026 • 11 Weekly Oklahoma Oil and Gas Proudly Brought to you by: Oil & Gas Report for the State of Oklahoma for August 11 - 17, 2026 SWOSU Rural Health Grant to Support Advanced Surgical Care in Western Oklahoma A new Southwestern Oklahoma supports the long-term need for said Kerth. “The project reflects training, community partnerships, State University (SWOSU) Rural trained healthcare professionals in the long-standing partnership be- and healthcare projects connected Elk City Sets Health project will help more pa- rural communities. tween SWOSU and Weatherford to western Oklahoma. tients in western Oklahoma access SWOSU Rural Health wrote Regional Hospital and our shared Funding acknowledgment: The specialized surgical care closer to and submitted the grant, and Dr. commitment to improving health- Rural Health Transformation Pro- home while strengthening training Kalie Kerth, director of the SWO- care access, advancing rural health gram is supported by the Centers for future healthcare professionals. SU Rural Health Center, serves solutions, and building a strong for Medicare & Medicaid Services SWOSU received a $3,999,285 award through the Oklahoma State Department of Health’s Ru- as the principal investigator. The award follows SWOSU Rural Health Center’s recent Commu- rural healthcare workforce for generations to come.” Representatives from the Cen- of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services through funding opportunities within the Revenue Record ral Health Transformation Pro- nity-Led Wellness Microgrant, ters for Medicare & Medicaid Oklahoma Rural Health Transfor- Local businesses have generated said. gram Rural Regional Reorienta- which also came through the Services and the Oklahoma Rural mation Program. more sales-tax money than ever. Though agriculture and the ener- tion initiative. Oklahoma Rural Health Transfor- Health Transformation Program According to the most recent gy industry still drive the local econ- The award includes the pur- mation Program and supports ru- visited SWOSU’s Jerry & Marga- ABOUT SOUTHWESTERN one-month tax numbers for the omy, Elk City has diversified with chase of an approximately $2.5 ral health resources in Roger Mills ret Hodge College of Pharmacy OKLAHOMA STATE UNIVER- state, Elk City businesses generated small businesses that employ six, or million robotic surgical system for and Washita counties. and Rural Health Center on Aug. SITY $1,579,175.38 in sales-tax revenue. eight, or 10 people. Weatherford Regional Hospital. The partnership between SWO- 5. SWOSU was selected for the Southwestern Oklahoma State It’s an all-time high and the first The economic center near Inter- The system will help expand local SU and Weatherford Regional visit after being named one of the University (SWOSU) was found- time that more than $1.5 million was state 40 on the east side of town is a access to advanced general surgery Hospital is central to the project. 68 competitive Community-Led ed in 1901 and offers more than collected in Elk City in one month. major contributor. and obstetric and gynecologic sur- Together, the organizations de- Wellness Microgrant recipients 100 undergraduate and graduate Mayor Micah Kilhoffer credits The city has invested—and con- gical services. This can reduce the veloped a proposal focused on across Oklahoma. The visit fo- programs across three locations Elk City’s location for some of the tinues to invest—in the vibrant need for patients to travel to larger improving healthcare access, sup- cused on the SWOSU Rural Health in Weatherford, Sayre, and Yukon. economic success. downtown shopping district. metropolitan areas for specialized porting workforce development, Center’s rural health projects, its The university serves more than “A lot of it has to do with our geo- And Elk City has invested in its care. and strengthening rural healthcare community partnerships, and the 5,000 students and prides itself on graphical location,” Kilhoffer said. parks and is reaping the benefits of The project also includes new services across western Oklahoma. work taking shape through the affordability, small class sizes, and “We draw people from the Texas sports tourism that brings thousands medical simulation and workforce The award builds that partner- new center. over 200 faculty and staff com- Panhandle and the north and south of people to town every year for training equipment for SWOSU ship and supports a shared goal of The award comes as SWOSU mitted to helping students achieve [of us], but we’ve embraced that and attractions at Ackley Park, the Ar- pharmacy, nursing, and allied keeping more care, training, and begins its first semester at the new their academic and personal goals. it contributes back into our city.” rowhead Center, the 5 Plex Baseball health students. These resources resources in the region. Jerry & Margaret Hodge College of For more information about Elk City’s population is about Fields, and the 5 Plex Softball fields. will give students more opportuni- “This investment represents Pharmacy and Rural Health Cen- Southwestern Oklahoma State 11,500, but its revenue generation is For lots of reasons, Elk City draws ties to train with equipment con- a transformational opportunity ter. The center houses the SWOSU University, visit www.swosu.edu. like a city twice its size. lots of people from the surrounding nected to patient care in western for both rural healthcare deliv- Rural Health Center and supports “We really perform more like a area, which generates lots of success Oklahoma. The investment also ery and workforce development,” rural health education, student 25,000-population city,” Kilhoffer for the city and its residents.