FAIRMONT – Sharon Lansdale, president and CEO of the Middle for Rural Well being Growth, mentioned former West Virginia Sen. Roman Prezioso was an advocate for well being care in West Virginia throughout his tenure.
He mentioned he supported the group when it was getting began, in addition to a number of of its initiatives to assist rural West Virginia residents discover entry to well being care.
“Throughout Senator Prezioso’s tenure within the legislature, he was at all times an individual who was keen to pay attention and contemplate points each time we raised a problem,” Lansdale mentioned. “We have been beginning within the early 2000s with a mortgage fund … Sen. Prezioso and others within the legislature actually stepped up and mentioned, ‘We want this in West Virginia.”
Prezioso’s years of help of the Middle for Rural Well being Growth not too long ago paid off when Lansdale and the Middle honored the previous senator with their Rural Well being Management Award. The group has a coverage that prohibits awarding the award to present elected officers.
“It’s totally uncommon that legislators pay attention in addition to he does,” Lansdale mentioned. “We at all times rely him as a rural well being advocate, however we do not acknowledge sitting legislators, so when he was on the brink of retire we mentioned, ‘Oh wow, high of our listing.’
Prezioso, who served on the Well being and Human Sources Committee whereas within the Senate, mentioned he’s grateful for the consideration, however was solely making an attempt to do what was greatest for West Virginia residents throughout his time in workplace.
“You attempt to go on the market and educate the folks of West Virginia and provides all of them the well being care infrastructure that you would be able to,” Prezioso mentioned. “It is an awesome job, and that is the place the Rural Well being Middle got here in, and I’ve labored with them ever since. They’d an awesome idea and I believe they’re making a distinction. “
Previous winners of the Rural Well being Management Award embody Bob Walker, vice chancellor for rural well being for the Increased Training Coverage Fee, former West Virginia Delegate for District 19 Don Perdue, and former District 15 Delegate Margarette Leach.
Over time, Prezioso has been a degree of contact for the Rural Well being Growth Middle and mentioned he tried to take heed to officers from the group after they made recommendations about well being care within the Mountain state.
“That’s what the federal government ought to do, and that’s what legislators ought to do: guarantee the general public well being of the state of West Virginia,” mentioned Prezioso. “It was an awesome affiliation that I had with these folks; that they had an awesome concept and I used to be able to assist. “
Prezioso additionally mentioned that working in healthcare was one in every of his most vital initiatives whereas in workplace, and he’ll proceed to work as he can to enhance entry now that he’s retired.
“I’ve performed many issues within the authorities; that was most likely probably the most rewarding factor I did, ”Prezioso mentioned. “You really see folks working in partnership with the federal government, the general public sector, the non-public sector and making an attempt to get issues performed and dealing in direction of a aim that’s worthwhile and that was economically the fitting factor to do.”
Prezioso was first elected to the West Virginia Home of Delegates in 1988, the place he served till 1996 when he efficiently ran for the West Virginia Senate, the place he served from 1996 to 2020 when he retired.
