Our Town: Changing healthcare system in Tahoka

LUBBOCK, Texas (KJTV) - The healthcare footprint is changing and improving in Tahoka.  The Lynn County Hospital District is now the Lynn County Healthcare system.

“So we feel like system better represents what we’re trying to provide for this community and not just hospital care,” Dr. Melanie Richburg, CEO of the Lynn County Healthcare System, said.

A new name isn’t the only change — the health care system is part of a Capital Improvement project of around $22 million.  This will include a total hospital renovation.

“New emergency room that’s state of the art has appropriate layout. We’ve toured you through the facility before, you know we’re kind of chopped up, and it’s just not good for patient care, privacy, and we can do better,” she said.

Dr. Richburg explains that Lynn county doesn’t currently have a long term care facility.  She said they’re going to change that.

“For me that’s just not acceptable, we should be able to take care of our community here. I wish I could say birth to death, but I don’t think we’re going to start delivering babies again, but we should be able to take care of them from all the way through the end of life. So in that 22 million dollar project is a 40 bed nursing home,” she said.

The CEO is passionate about their mission, bringing healthcare closer to home.

“When your sick, or scared, or hurting and you need a medical question answered or you need medical help. I want you to have the confidence and knowledge knowing that we’re here,” she said. “Whether we pick you up in one of our ambulances or whether you ring the doorbell at 2 o’clock in the morning. We’re here to take care of you.”

She sees the city leaders as a team partnering with the school superintendent Tori Price and the City Administrator Julie Arrington.

“Tori and I have had several conversations about how we could help him at the school. I’ve had multiple conversations with Julie about how we have a downtown presence, because that’s where our physical therapy fitness center is,” Dr. Richburg said. “And as they revitalize downtown how can we be a part of that, we being the hospital, and be a good front door for this community.”

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