Debbie Farrell, chairman of the board of directors at Heart of the Rockies Regional Medical Center, 
was recently appointed to the American Hospital Association (AHA) Committee on Governance. Farrell will serve a three-year term from 2019 through 2021.
AHA is the national organization that represents and serves all types of hospitals, health care networks, and their patients and communities. It promotes hospitals and health care networks through public policy and provides information about health care and health administration.
The AHA Committee on Governance leads effective trustee involvement in grassroots advocacy, provides input into AHA’s policy development, and enhances communication with and involvement of trustees in the AHA, according to the appointment letter.
Farrell also serves on the board of trustees of the Colorado Hospital Association (CHA) and said, “I’ve learned a lot about the challenges hospitals face and the regulatory and legal environment at the state level through being on the CHA board.
“Being able to have more insight into that environment at a federal level through my involvement with the Governance Committee of the American Hospital Association is an exciting opportunity that I think will enable me to be a better board member for our hospital.”
She said she also hopes to strengthen the voice of rural hospitals as it relates to policies that would have an impact locally.
CHA President and CEO Steven Summer said that his organization is grateful for Farrell’s continued work on behalf of the state’s hospitals and health systems. He said he appreciates her willingness to also participate on a national level.
Farrell is one of the five directors who currently serve on the Salida hospital’s publicly elected board. To learn more about HRRMC and its board of directors, visit hrrmc.com.
