Dr. Teresa Tyson, DNP Named NRHA Rural Health Practitioner of the Year

(WISE, Va.) — Dr. Teresa Owens Tyson, DNP, MSN, FNP-BC, FAANP, President and CEO of The Health Wagon, has been named the Rural Health Practitioner of the Year by the National Rural Health Association (NRHA), recognizing her extraordinary impact on healthcare delivery in Southwest Virginia and across rural Appalachia.

A family nurse practitioner with more than 30 years of service, Dr. Tyson has dedicated her career to expanding access, improving quality, and advancing health equity in some of the nation’s most geographically isolated and medically underserved communities. Through her leadership, The Health Wagon has evolved into a nationally recognized model of comprehensive, community-centered care.

Dr. Tyson continues to provide direct patient care while designing innovative systems that eliminate barriers for rural populations. Under her guidance, services have expanded from basic mobile care into a fully integrated healthcare model that includes primary care, behavioral health, chronic disease management, dental and vision services, pharmacy, telehealth, diagnostics, specialty care, and programs addressing social determinants of health.

“NRHA’s Rural Health Awards recognize significant achievements from those providing high-quality health care to the communities they serve. In addition, these winners serve as models of best practices for others to emulate. NRHA is pleased to recognize the accomplishments and innovations of these remarkable individuals and organizations”, said Brock Slabach, Chief Operations Officer, National Rural Health Association.

Among her many accomplishments, Dr. Tyson has was responsible for bringing to the region the large-scale outreach known as Move Mountains Medical Mission, formerly theRemote Area Medical Wise County event. This nationally recognized initiative has provided comprehensive medical, dental, vision, disgnotics and specialty services to thousands of patients since its inception. At the 20^th year mark, over 100,000 patinet encounters had been performed.

She also was an integral partner with Flirtey on the first FAA-approved drone medication delivery in the United States—now recognized by the Smithsonian Institution—demonstrating how cutting-edge technology can overcome geographic barriers in rural regions. Additionally, Dr. Tyson supported the world’s first telecystoscopy, demonstrating that access to specialized urologic care through telehealth reducing the need for long-distance travel can be a accomplished.

Dr. Tyson’s approach emphasizes whole-person care through interdisciplinary collaboration, integrating medical, dental, behavioral health, diagnotics, pharmacy, and social services. Her work is further strengthened by partnerships with universities, health systems, faith-based organizations, and community groups, as well as her commitment to mentoring the next generation of rural healthcare providers.

“I am deeply honored to receive this award from NRHA,” said Dr. Tyson. “This recognition reflects the dedication of our entire Health Wagon team and our mission to ensure that every individual—regardless of where they live—has access to high-quality, compassionate care.”

Dr. Tyson’s leadership has led to measurable improvements in access to care, earlier intervention for chronic disease, and reduced reliance on emergency services for preventable conditions. Most importantly, her work has helped expand compassionate, consistent access to healthcare for communities that have too often been overlooked and underserved.

The NRHA Rural Health Awards celebrate individuals and organizations making outstanding contributions to rural health across the United States. Dr. Tyson was honored at the latest NRHA Annual Rural Health Conference in May. Dr. Paula Hill-Collins, Vice President and Clinical Director at the Health Wagon, was honored as the 2019 recipient of the same award. Organizers of the event, stated that it is highly unusual for two awardees to be recognized from the same organization, but it is a testament to the groundbreaking work that the Health Wagon exemplifies in rural health.

About The Health Wagon

The Health Wagon is a nurse practitioner managed clinic that has been in existence since 1980 which provides free medical, vision and health care services along with sliding scale dental care services in Southwest Va. For more information about The Health Wagon, please call 276-328-8850 or visit www.thehealthwagon.org. If you would like to donate to the Health Wagon, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, please visit: www.thehealthwagon.org/donate.