Concho County Hospital District Board Approves Conversion to Rural Emergency Hospital
January 29, 2026 (Eden)
The Concho County Hospital District Board of Directors approved conversion of Concho County Hospital from a Critical Access Hospital to a Rural Emergency Hospital (REH). The hospital will seek federal and state regulatory approval for the conversion.Once approved, the hospital will continue providing 24/7 emergency care as well as all clinic, pharmacy, lab, imaging, physical therapy, and other services available on an outpatient basis. Patients whose illness or condition requires an inpatient hospital stay will be transferred to another facility for continued treatment and care. Patients who need to be observed to determine if hospitalization is medically necessary will continue to be seen at Concho County Hospital.
“We made the decision to convert to a Rural Emergency Hospital to preserve our community’s healthcare system,” said Julie Jones, president of the Concho County Hospital District board of directors. “With REH designation, we can continue providing essential 24/7 emergency care to anyone who needs it as well as the full range of services we provide on an outpatient basis through our clinic, therapy operations, and retail pharmacy.”
The board made the decision after analyzing inpatient volume and revenue as well as the costs of maintaining inpatient beds and care capacity.
In addition, the community was invited to provide input on the issue at a public meeting in December.
“When you consider that 14 rural hospitals in Texas have closed in the last 10 years and more than half of the remaining are considered at risk of closure, having the REH option is a vital lifeline for rural communities,” added Jones.
Concho County Hospital sees thousands of patients on an outpatient or “observational” basis and receives nearly 1,500 emergency department visits a year. Last year, however, there were just 10 inpatient hospitalizations.
REH designation was established by Congress and has been available to rural hospitals nationwide since January 2023. More than 40 hospitals have converted to REH status, as of October 2025, including four in Texas. REHs qualify for enhanced Medicare payments for qualifying outpatient services provided as well as a monthly facility payment.
“Our communities deserve strong local healthcare,” said Bob Pascasio, CCHD administrator/CEO. “REH designation was designed specifically to preserve access to essential medical care for rural residents, and with this option we hope to ensure the long-term viability of locally available life-saving emergency services and outpatient medical care.”
The Concho County Hospital emergency department is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week at 614 Eaker St. in Eden. Appointments at Concho Medical Clinic, located at 814 W. Broadway St. in Eden, are available for children and adults, Monday through Thursday by calling (325) 869-9250.
FAQs
1. Is the hospital closing?
The hospital, clinic, and pharmacy are open and will remain open once REH designation is achieved. Emergency care will continue to be available around-the-clock at the hospital, and the clinic continues to serve patients of all ages with appointments available Monday through Thursday.If regulators approve the REH conversion, emergency and outpatient medical care will continue uninterrupted. Patients who need to be admitted to a hospital because they are seriously ill will be transferred to another facility, and patients who are hospitalized will continue their post-hospital rehabilitation care at that facility.
REH status means the hospital will no longer be licensed for inpatient hospital beds. However, we can still keep patients for observation overnight to determine if longer-term hospitalization is medically necessary and warranted.
2. Why did the board decide to convert to an REH?
REH designation is designed specifically for rural hospitals like ours that operate in sparsely populated areas but want to continue providing communities with local access to emergency care and primary care, pharmacy, lab, radiology, physical therapy, and other outpatient services.Just 10 patients were hospitalized last year at our hospital, while hundreds from Concho, Menard and surrounding communities relied on the emergency department and clinic. REH status supports our ability to continue our emergency and clinic services so that our community has local reliable, high-quality medical care.
REH designation better reflects what Concho County Hospital actually does and provides higher payments than are available to us as a Critical Access Hospital.
REH designation comes with dedicated yearly funding from the federal government that does not depend on how many patients we see and doesn’t require us to bill insurance. This funding will help us to be able to invest in staff, technology, equipment, and other resources that ensure high quality medical care close to home.
3. Is the REH decision final?
The Concho County Hospital District board of directors approved applying for REH designation and that decision is final. That application process typically takes several months. While state and federal regulator approval isn’t guaranteed, we do not anticipate denial of the request and expect to convert to an REH by Summer 2026 at the latest.4. What is the timeline for conversion to an REH?
The board of directors of Concho County Hospital District approved applying for the REH designation at the regular meeting of the Board of Directors meeting on January 27th. State and federal regulatory approval is required. While state and federal regulator approval isn’t guaranteed, we do not anticipate denial of the request and expect to convert to an REH by Summer 2026 at the latest.5. What is happening with CCH Pharmacy?
CCH Pharmacy will continue filling and re-filling prescriptions without interruption. Providers can call prescriptions into the pharmacy at (325) 869-8760, with limited delivery service available to residents of Menard County. CCH Pharmacy is an in-network pharmacy with most Medicare, Medicaid, and private health insurance plans.The only change with the pharmacy is for residents who receive medications at a discounted price through the federal 340B prescription drug program. If you receive a drug through the 340B program, contact our pharmacy at (325) 869-9250 to discuss your options.