Our Story

The TORCH Foundation is a nonprofit affiliate of the Texas Organization of Rural & Community Hospitals (TORCH). The organization was founded in 1999 for the purpose of creating a telecommunications infrastructure and network for rural hospitals in Texas.

Over the years, the Foundation has evolved to meet the ever growing needs and challenges of its members. Today, our vision is to be a premier resource center for rural Texas hospitals and to serve as a leader and catalyst for improving quality healthcare delivery in rural communities.

Along with our continued growth, the Foundation has expanded its focus to meet the varied needs, priorities and challenges of its members. Key areas of focus include:

• Health information technology and network support services to meet the current and future IT needs of rural hospitals.
• Grant and fund development to enhance existing and create new programs, as well as to assist rural hospitals in their search for funding opportunities.
• Education and training to provide important information to rural hospital staff.
• Performance and quality improvement tools to help rural hospital to deliver quality healthcare.

The Foundation membership consists of over 50 rural and community hospitals throughout Texas (see map of members). Membership benefits to the Foundation are numerous. But being a member is much more than simply paying for specific services and support-it is about rural hospitals jointly investing in a shared vision to build a sustainable hospital network to support the delivery of quality healthcare in rural Texas.

We welcome hospitals, healthcare providers and corporate partners to join the Foundation and help us transform this shared vision into a reality for the benefit of our rural and community hospitals. Your continued support of the TORCH Foundation makes it a valuable resource and partner of choice for rural Texas hospitals.