Southern Coos Hospital & Health Center is pursuing new service lines, partnerships and long-term planning efforts as it works to strengthen financial sustainability amid ongoing pressure on rural providers. Raymond Hino, CEO of the 21-bed critical access hospital in Bandon, Ore., said the organization has focused over the past year on initiatives designed to both stabilize operations and address access gaps in its community. Recent legislative changes, including HR-1 and the rural healthcare transformation fund providing $50 billion to states will impact the hospital going forward. “We’re obviously concerned about protecting our Medicaid utilization to the extent that we can, and we’re encouraged by the rural healthcare transformation program and the dollars that have been granted to the state of Oregon,” said Mr. Hino during an interview on the “Becker’s Healthcare Podcast.” “We’re working closely with the state of Oregon on how those funds are going to be utilized in our facility and other rural facilities around the state. It’s, of course, so important at this time because even before HR-1, the Oregon hospitals really have been struggling for several years.” One of the most consequential moves was the launch of a hospital-owned retail pharmacy in June 2025. The pharmacy industry has been in flux, with sudden closures creating access challenges for rural communities. Southern Coos had already identified pharmacy access as a pain point, citing long lines and limited alternatives in the community. Leaders also viewed the pharmacy as a potential outpatient revenue stream at a time when traditional…
