AUSTIN, TX, UNITED STATES, June 25, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — TMF Health Quality Institute, a leading nonprofit health care consulting company, has donated $250,000 to the TORCH Foundation to fund a study to examine the comparative health outcomes of Texas populations living in rural counties with and without a rural hospital. The TORCH Foundation is a 501(c)3 nonprofit affiliate of the Texas Organization of Rural and Community Hospitals (TORCH).
In collaboration with the University of Iowa’s Rural Policy Research Institute (RUPRI), the TORCH Foundation will use TMF’s donation to conduct research and analysis on the challenges, needs and opportunities facing rural Texas, and to help improve the understanding of the effects of public policies and programs on rural people and places.
“We are proud to once again partner with TORCH to help advance its work and support of rural Texans,” said TMF CEO Thomas Manley. “TMF and TORCH are longtime partners, and we are excited to see how this study and its findings and insights will bolster our collective understanding and appreciation of the importance of rural hospitals and their role in sustaining positive health outcomes of rural, underserved populations.”
To assess the impact of health outcomes, the study will employ quantitative and qualitative analysis, including a combination of data from organizations such as the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. The TORCH Foundation also plans to interview community leaders and residents from three Texas rural counties that experienced a hospital closure and three Texas rural counties with sustained access to hospitals.
The study questions will address:
How do health outcomes vary across rural Texas relative to previous hospital closures, never having a hospital, and maintaining presence of a hospital?
What factors beyond closure or lack of a hospital are associated with health outcomes in rural Texas?
How has access been affected by hospital closures in Texas rural counties?
The TORCH Foundation plans to publish a summary report of results in the first quarter of 2027.
“TMF has been a reliable partner to TORCH and our rural Texas hospitals. This donation – and the research it will support – is another tangible demonstration of our shared aim to better understand rural market dynamics,” said John Henderson, CEO and president of TORCH. “When we know the factors driving closures, we can do even more to help the rural communities we serve together.”
About TORCH
TORCH is a Texas organization of rural and community hospitals, corporations and individuals working together to address the special needs and issues of rural and community hospitals, staff and the patients they serve. Visit https://www.torchnet.org/ for more information.
About RUPRI
RUPRI is a national policy research organization with expertise in the causes and consequences of the rural differential in public policies. Visit https://rupri.org/ for more information.
About TMF Health Quality Institute
TMF Health Quality Institute focuses on improving lives by improving the quality of health care through contracts with federal, state and local governments, as well as private organizations. For more than 50 years, TMF has helped health care providers and practitioners in a variety of settings improve care for their patients. Visit www.tmf.org for more information.
Emilie W Fennell
TMF Health Quality Institute
+1 512-653-3891
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