Mineral Wells Area News

By Ross Korkmas, CEO, Palo Pinto General Hospital

When I was asked to contribute my first article to the Voices of the Community series, my mind was spinning. After the spinning stopped, I settled on taking a deeper dive into one of the areas that represents the heart of what we do — our wonderful Women’s Services Department at Palo Pinto General Hospital (PPGH).

What Is Palo Pinto County Hospital District?

The Palo Pinto County Hospital District is a government entity overseen by an elected Board of Directors. We proudly operate Palo Pinto General Hospital and its associated services — an urgent care center, five primary care clinics, and eleven specialty care clinics.

As a regional provider for Palo Pinto County residents and surrounding areas, our mission is to offer a wide range of healthcare services close to home.

Excellence in Women’s Services

PPGH is a Level I Maternal & Neonatal Designated facility, meaning we meet rigorous standards for providing safe, evidence-based, high-quality care for mothers and newborns. We follow the same standards as larger urban hospitals and remain actively engaged with organizations such as the North Central Texas Trauma Regional Advisory Council-Perinatal Committee, the Texas Collaborative for Healthy Mothers and Babies (TCHMB), and the Texas Alliance for Innovation on Maternal Health (TexasAIM).

These partnerships help us stay at the forefront of best practices and continuously enhance the care we provide to pregnant, postpartum, and newborn patients.

While many rural hospitals across the country have been forced to close their labor and delivery units, PPGH remains steadfast in its commitment to women’s health. We recognize how vital these services are for our community and continue to invest in the people, training, and resources needed to keep them strong.

What Sets Us Apart — Our People

Patient safety is always our top priority, but what truly sets PPGH apart is our personal approach to care. Our patients often tell us that giving birth here feels like being cared for by family.

Our smaller setting allows staff to dedicate more time to each patient, providing those personal touches that make such a meaningful difference — a warm meal for the support person, a newborn photo, a keepsake gown and blanket, and compassionate nurses with decades of experience who take pride in serving their own community.

Looking Ahead

The future is bright for Women’s Services at PPGH. We were recently awarded $250,000 through the Texas Health and Human Services Rural Hospital Labor and Delivery Grant Program.

In partnership with the Palo Pinto Area Foundation, these funds will allow us to update our labor and delivery rooms, better support our clinical team, and further enhance the patient experience.

We look forward to sharing project updates with our community in the months ahead and remain deeply committed to providing exceptional care for mothers and babies in Palo Pinto County — close to home, where it matters most.

Ross Korkmas, CEO

Palo Pinto General Hospital

This article was written with assistance from Jodi Turk, BSN, RN, LBCLC, Women’s Services Director.

Ross A. Korkmas has been Chief Executive Officer of Palo Pinto General Hospital (PPGH) since August of 2019. Before joining PPGH, Mr. Korkmas served as Chief Executive Officer of Alliance Health Woodward and Chief Operating Officer of Medical Center of South Arkansas. 

He received a Master of Health Care Administration from the University of Texas, Arlington; a Bachelor of Science from the University of North Texas; and numerous certifications in emergency, crisis and incident prevention.  He is a member of the American College of Healthcare Executives and has served on numerous Boards and Councils in support of Economic Development, Education, Quality and Patient Safety.  

Ross and his wife Kelly, a registered nurse, have 2 daughters, Madison and Peyton.  Ross enjoys spending time with his family, golfing, fishing and hunting.