The award will honor an outstanding person, program or organization responsible for improving the quality and availability of health care in rural communities.

"There are many hard-working, dedicated people who have made a major impact on health care in rural Oregon," said Scott Ekblad, director of the Oregon Office of Rural Health. "Nominees should include individuals whose actions have had a notable, positive impact on the health of the community, or a successful program that other communities might want to duplicate."

The 2009 Oregon Rural Health Hero will be announced at the 26th Annual Oregon Rural Health Conference to be held Nov. 5 - 7, 2009, at the Salishan Resort in Gleneden Beach, Ore.

Nomination forms will be accepted June 5 - 26, 2009, and are available on the Oregon Office of Rural Health Web site: www.ohsu.edu/oregonruralhealth

For more information about the award or the submission process, please contact:  Linda Peppler, Oregon Office of Rural Health, 503 494-4450 or pepplerl@ohsu.edu