A. There is hereby established a Health Authority for the LENOWISCO and Cumberland Plateau Planning District Commissions, the Counties of Smyth and Washington, and the City of Bristol.

B. The General Assembly recognizes that rural communities such as those served by the Authority confront unique challenges in the effort to improve health care outcomes and access to quality health care. It is important to facilitate the provision of quality, cost-efficient medical care to rural patients. The provision of care by local providers is important to enhancing, fostering, and creating opportunities that advance health status and provide health-related economic benefits. The Authority shall establish regional health goals directed at improving access to care, advancing health status, targeting regional health issues, promoting technological advancement, ensuring accountability of the cost of care, enhancing academic engagement in regional health, strengthening the workforce for health-related careers, and improving health entity collaboration and regional integration where appropriate.

C. Technological and improved scientific methods have contributed to the improvement of health care in the Commonwealth. The cost of improved technology and improved scientific methods for the provision of hospital care, particularly in rural communities, contributes substantially to the increasing cost of hospital care. Cost increases make it increasingly difficult for hospitals in rural areas of the Commonwealth, including those areas served by the Authority, to offer care. Cooperative agreements among hospitals and between hospitals and others for the provision of health care services may foster improvements in the quality of health care, moderate increases in cost, improve access to needed services in rural areas of the Commonwealth, and enhance the likelihood that smaller hospitals in the Commonwealth will remain open in beneficial service to their communities.

2007, c. 676; 2009, c. 464; 2014, c. 236; 2015, c. 741.