Mason Health is a rural public hospital district that serves thousands of patients each month with a forward-thinking approach that allows for growth alongside the community. In recent months, the District has celebrated a slate of projects that will advance patient care in the region, including the recent installation of a new High Field Open MRI. Mason Health has further demonstrated its commitment to rural healthcare through membership with The Rural Collaborative and Mason Health Foundation’s community engagement efforts.
Mason Health Advances Care As a Longtime Member of the Rural Collaborative
The Rural Collaborative (TRC) is a nonprofit membership organization that connects 31 independent rural hospital districts in Washington state. Members of the Rural Collaborative provide care for more than 800,000 people, from the Olympic Peninsula to eastern Washington. And the Rural Collaborative holds significant economic power, with the net patient services revenue of all Collaborative members totaling more than $2.3 billion, according to the its 2024 Annual Report.
The Rural Collaborative was established in 2003, with eight rural hospitals as founding members. During this time, rural healthcare facilities were facing looming challenges related to consolidation and reduced healthcare access for patients in remote areas. Members saw partnership as a solution to maintain that local healthcare access. Mason Health joined the network in 2006, and the partnership has only continued to grow over the years.
The mission of The Rural Collaborative is rooted in preserving much-needed rural hospitals, through the shared support, resources and expertise of fellow members. In addition to being more geographically remote, rural hospitals tend to have limited budgets and fewer department personnel. The Rural Collaborative fosters a sense of community between members, where they can help one another to navigate the ever-evolving healthcare landscape, keeping up to date on new policy adjustments, insurance guidelines and system updates. Members also host continuing education opportunities for medical scenarios that are relevant to rural practitioners.
“It’s joyful, it’s fun, it’s helpful, it’s educational,” says Elya Prystowsky, executive director of the Rural Collaborative.
The Rural Collaborative is committed to the financial wellbeing of members through bargaining lower prices for shared services, like telemedicine and wound care. And since all of the members are rural public hospital districts, they can participate in interlocal agreements and work out joint payer contracts as a collective. Cutting-edge healthcare technology can be costly, but through the Collaborative, members may have more affordable access to technological breakthroughs that increase patient safety.
According to Prystowsky, the Rural Collaborative is also focused on shaping the future of rural healthcare, recognizing its agility and its potential within the greater healthcare landscape. Prystowsky describes the Rural Collaborative as “acting like a system without being a system.”
Member hospitals also compare their progress on certain quality measures, including screening for conditions like breast cancer, colorectal cancer and depression. Mason Health has led the way in colorectal cancer screening, with the highest screening rates across all hospitals in the Collaborative. Mason Health has recently been recognized as a Center of Excellence for lung cancer screening, with a goal of increasing screenings and early detection in the new year, especially patients who may be at a higher risk. Mason Health’s strategies to increase lung and colorectal cancer screenings are now serving as a blueprint for other Collaborative members.
“We have great minds across the state,” says Brad Becker, contracted senior director of payer strategy for the Rural Collaborative. “So we come together, we share information, we learn from each other, we improve the delivery of care.”
The Mason Health Foundation Supports Equipment and Services Through Give Local Campaign and Enchanted Evening Dinner & Auction
The Mason Health Foundation works to bolster the mission, vision and values of Mason Health through community-oriented fundraising events and campaigns scheduled throughout the year.
This includes the Give Local campaign, which is presented by the Community Foundation of South Puget Sound.
Mason Health Foundation initially joined the Give Local campaign in 2020, when in-person fundraisers were on hold during the COVID-19 pandemic. And over the years, the Give Local campaign has become an annual tradition for the Mason Health Foundation. Since 2020, the Mason Health Foundation has raised nearly $70,000 through the Give Local campaign, helping to fund vital equipment, programs and services across the hospital district.
Mason Health Foundation’s 2025 Give Local campaign was a success, raising $10,475 through 16 donors, including generous contributions from community members, board members and local establishments. Funds from the 2025 Give Local campaign will benefit Mason Health’s new High Field Open MRI.
On November 15, 2025, attendees of the Enchanted Evening Dinner & Auction were transported into a mythical forest at Little Creek Casino Resort. Events like the Enchanted Evening Dinner & Auction are an opportunity to highlight the important role Mason Health plays in the wellbeing of the community, and to forge deeper connections with community partners. Through the auction, ticket sales and sponsorship, the event raised more than $99,000, with proceeds benefiting the new High Field Open MRI at Mason Health. At the Enchanted Evening Dinner & Auction, Mason Health Foundation leadership also announced a $100,000 allocation toward the new High Field Open MRI, from the Mason Health Foundation Endowment Fund.
Opportunities to support the Mason Health Foundation continue into the new year. The next Business Luncheon & Confections Auction is set to take place Friday, February 13, 2026, at Little Creek Casino Resort.
To learn more about the Rural Collaborative and the work they do across the state, visit the Rural Collaborative website. To learn more about upcoming events and updates from the Mason Health Foundation, visit the Mason Health Foundation website.
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