Mineral Wells Area News

Reporting By Amy Meyer | Mineral Wells Area News

Sitting in his office with a stress ball in hand, its seams already repaired, Palo Pinto General Hospital CEO Ross Korkmas didn’t hide the pressure of leading a rural county hospital at a time when health care is shifting beneath his feet.

He squeezed the ball often during an interview, at one point bouncing it against the wall. “It’s better than biting my nails,” he joked, noting he has already worn through several of them.

However, his tone grew more serious and direct when the discussion turned to the hospital’s financial future.

“Our costs continue to go up, and our reimbursement continues to go down,” Korkmas said. “We’re calling this somewhat of a year of transition. We need to survive this time period right here, and then thrive.”

What Keeps Him Up at Night

The biggest challenge, he explained, is the burden of providing care that isn’t reimbursed. Rural hospitals across the country are struggling with the same problem.

Under a federal law known as the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA), hospitals must treat and stabilize anyone who comes to the emergency room, regardless of their ability to pay. That means Palo Pinto General often provides care first and hopes payment follows.

“We have people in this hospital right now with no health insurance, no way to pay, and we take care of them,” Korkmas said. “I am required by law to do so.”

The question remains how long rural hospitals everywhere can hang on.

“Time is not on our side,” Korkmas said of the looming end of health insurance subsidies.

Palo Pinto General is already struggling with overhead from patients unable to pay the portions of their medical bills not covered by insurance. What higher premiums will mean for those patients — and the impact on the hospital if more people drop health coverage — remains unknown.

Changing Face of Primary Care

The transition is especially visible in primary care. Longtime family physicians Dr. Gore and Dr. Jones are both set to retire later this year, marking the approaching end of decades of community-based practice in Palo Pinto County.

“It is the end of an era when independent family practice physicians are retiring from a community,” Korkmas said. “You may not be able to replace the work ethic and time dedication they gave, but primary care remains the foundation of health care.”

To fill the gap, Palo Pinto General is leaning more on nurse practitioners and exploring partnerships to expand access. But Korkmas acknowledged the balance is shifting as fewer young doctors choose to run small-town clinics.

Holding On, Building Forward

Despite the financial strain, Korkmas pointed to steps the hospital is taking to remain stable and strengthen services.

Renovations: Grant-funded projects are underway to update the emergency room and obstetrics unit. Recruitment: The hospital is actively recruiting new providers while supporting independent clinics in Mineral Wells and surrounding communities. Efficiency: Leaders are reevaluating operations to focus on core services such as emergency, obstetrics, primary care, and surgery.

“We’re almost treating this like a household budget,” Korkmas said. “You go through and ask, what do we really need? What can we cut? And what are our priorities we cannot live without?”

Commitment to the Community

Korkmas, who has led Palo Pinto General since 2019, said the hospital’s strength lies in its people. Many staff have decades of service, particularly in obstetrics and nursing.

The hospital has served Palo Pinto County since 1969, providing care to the community for more than 55 years.

“You could have the Taj Mahal of hospitals, but if you don’t have people providing high quality, safe patient care, it doesn’t matter,” he said.

He emphasized that even in uncertain times, the hospital will continue to serve as the county’s safety net.

“What I want people to know is that we’re here for them and we’re going to continue being here for them,” Korkmas said. “We’re going to face challenges like every other hospital in the U.S., but we’ll face them head on. I believe we have the right kind of people working here to give their best every day.”