UTHealth Houston School of Public Health Selected for Statewide Rural Hospital Leadership Initiative
UTHealth Houston School of Public Health has been selected to represent The University of Texas (UT) System in a new statewide initiative, the Texas Rural Hospital Officers Academy, designed to strengthen financial leadership and long-term stability of rural hospitals across Texas.
Established by House Bill 18 during the 2025 Texas Legislative Session, the Texas Rural Hospital Officers Academy will deliver more than 100 hours of specialized, in-person training annually for executive leaders of rural hospitals and health systems. The program directly addresses one of the most pressing challenges facing rural communities, the increasing financial strain and risk of rural hospital closures.
The initiative is a collaboration between the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) and four Texas public university systems: The UT System, the Texas A&M University System, the Texas Tech University System, and the Texas State University System. Each system will contribute faculty expertise and leadership to ensure high-quality, consistent training, statewide.
At UTHealth Houston School of Public Health, the Academy site will be led by Ginger Raya, EdD, MHA, MPA, center director of the UTHealth Houston School of Public Health George McMillan Fleming Center for Healthcare Management and associate professor. A nationally recognized healthcare executive with more than 20 years of experience, Raya has led large-scale operational and financial initiatives across academic health systems and brings deep expertise in healthcare leadership, revenue optimization, and organizational transformation.
UTHealth Houston will lead efforts within 38 counties in East Texas, focusing on recruiting and training C-suite executives and hospital board members from rural hospitals in the region. The program is offered at no cost to participants, removing barriers to access for critical leadership development.
Training will focus on essential competencies for operating in resource-constrained environments, including:
- Healthcare finance and revenue optimization
- Operational efficiency
- Regulatory compliance
- Strategic leadership in rural health systems
By strengthening executive-level decision-making and financial management, the Academy aims to improve hospital sustainability and preserve access to care in underserved communities.
“Rural healthcare leaders operate in some of the most challenging environments in the country while continuing to serve as the backbone of their communities,” said Raya. “Yet within these challenges lies tremendous opportunity. Through collaboration between Texas state agencies and rural hospital leaders, we can strengthen leadership capacity, share innovative solutions, and build more sustainable systems of care for rural Texans for generations to come.”
The program will prioritize hospitals facing the greatest challenges, including those that have received financial stabilization support, are pursuing rural emergency hospital designation, or serve as the sole provider in their county.
Recruitment for the inaugural cohort is currently underway, with the program expected to launch in April 2027.
About UTHealth Houston
The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth Houston) is a comprehensive academic health center dedicated to improving health through education, research, and clinical care. As part of The University of Texas System, UTHealth Houston plays a critical role in advancing public health and healthcare delivery across Texas and beyond.