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(HOWARD, SD) – Horizon Health Foundation has recently welcomed Jean Thompson of Howard, SD, to the Foundation’s board of directors, which is comprised of ten leaders representing the Horizon Health Care service area. The board members guide the direction of the Foundation and oversee operations, including financial management and advocacy efforts.
As the original provider at Horizon Health Care’s Howard Community Health Center, Thompson spent 17 years serving the Howard community until 1994. In 2018, she returned to Horizon as a PRN and recently rejoined the Howard CHC as a medical provider. In her career, she’s gained 43 years of experience in family and emergency medicine. Her extensive knowledge in the health care field will be an asset on the Foundation’s board as they advocate for rural health care and South Dakota patients.
Over the years, Thompson has served on the Howard School Board (two terms) and the Howard City Council (six years), as President of the South Dakota Academy of Physician Assistants and member of the Ethics Committee for the American Academy of Physician Assistants in Washington D.C. She was also the EMT instructor for the Huron Ambulance for 15 years.
“I’m really happy to have the opportunity to serve on the Foundation board, as I believe in their mission to support Horizon Health Care and the patients they serve,” said Thompson. “My experience as a practitioner for Horizon provides a knowledge base as to the needs of the patients we serve and the facilities and professionals who serve them.”
Other current Horizon Health Foundation board members include Patrick Maroney (Sioux Falls, SD); Doug Eidahl (Roslyn, SD); Pam Locken (Isabel, SD); Jim Burg (Wessington Springs, SD); Gary McKellips (Alcester, SD); Jessica Lindskov (Isabel, SD); and Kris Stocklin-Johnson (Faith, SD).
The Horizon Health Foundation was established in 2016 to ensure rural health care access to those in need and provide funding for Horizon Health Care. Horizon Health Foundation, a tax-exempt, non-profit corporation, seeks through responsible activities to encourage and derive sustaining gift support from current and former patients and interested friends, including corporate entities. The Horizon Health Foundation, operating in coordination with Horizon Health Care, is the duly designated fundraising arm for Horizon Health Care. In the broadest sense, the purpose of the Foundation is to create an awareness of the financial needs of Horizon Health Care, which are not provided by patient charges and to systematically implement plans by which dollar needs can be met. For more information, please visit http://www.horizonhealthfoundation.com or call 605.772.4553.
About Horizon Health Care
For over 40 years, Horizon Health Care has been providing personalized, affordable, high-quality medical, dental and mental health care through a rural, community-based network in South Dakota. Horizon is a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) that serves the medical, dental and mental health care needs of South Dakotans in rural, medically underserved areas through 110,000 patient visits annually in 32 community health centers in: Aberdeen, Alcester, Bison, Bryant, De Smet, Eagle Butte, Elk Point, Faith, Fort Thompson, Howard, Huron, Isabel, La Plant, Lake Preston, Martin, McIntosh, Mission, Plankinton, Wessington Springs, White River, Woonsocket, and Yankton. For more information please visit www.horizonhealthcare.org.