Rural Hospital Grants Enable Faster Trip to the ER

COLUMBUS – Patients needing emergency care in rural areas will soon receive the best care possible even faster. Small and rural hospitals in Ohio will work even more efficiently with police and fire departments to quickly transport patients to the hospital thanks to federal funding grants for systems and quality improvements. The grants will also enable hospitals to upgrade necessary software systems and bolster patient safety activities, among other improvements.

Thirty-four Ohio hospitals are receiving a total of $761,930 through a partnership between the Ohio Hospital Association’s Foundation for Healthy Communities and the Ohio Department of Health (ODH). In cooperation with the State Office of Rural Health (SORH), the foundation is awarding 62 grants for hospitals to improve the quality of health care services and emergency medical services in rural areas.

“The creative and efficient ways these funds will be spent provide a unique opportunity for small hospitals to make changes that benefit patients and the community,” said Lynne Ayres, director of the foundation. “Some examples of how the funds will be used include nursing education programs, prescription system upgrades, patient safety initiatives, technology, billing and emergency system improvements,” Ayres said.

Thirty-four hospitals taking part in the Critical Access Hospitals (CAH) Program will each receive a $14,415 grant for quality improvement, network development, and emergency medical services. CAH designation qualifies hospitals for cost-based reimbursement for Medicare funds. Those hospitals receiving these additional funds for implementation are:

·         Adams County Hospital, West Union

·         Allen Medical Center, Oberlin

·         Barnesville Hospital

·         Blanchard Valley Regional Health Center, Bluffton

·         Bucyrus Community Hospital

·         Community Hospital and Wellness Centers, Montpelier

·         Community Memorial Hospital, Hicksville

·         Defiance Regional Medical Center

·         Doctors Hospital of Nelsonville

·         Dunlap Memorial Hospital, Orrville

·         Fayette County Memorial Hospital

·         Fulton County Health Center, Wauseon

·         Fostoria Community Hospital

·         Galion Community Hospital

·         Greenfield Area Medical Center

·         Hardin Memorial Hospital, Kenton     

·         H. B. Magruder Memorial Hospital, Port Clinton

·         Harrison Community Hospital, Cadiz

·         Henry County Hospital, Napoleon

·         Highland District Hospital, Hillsboro

·         Hocking Valley Community Hospital, Logan

·         Holzer Medical Center, Jackson

·         Lodi Community Hospital

·         Mercy Hospital of Willard

·         Mercy Memorial Hospital - Urbana

·         Morrow County Hospital, Mount Gilead

·         Paulding County Hospital

·         Pike Community Hospital

·         Selby General Hospital, Marietta

·         Shelby General Hospital

·         Twin City Hospital Corporation, Dennison

·         UHHS Brown Memorial Hospital, Conneaut

·         UHHS Memorial Hospital of Geneva

·         Wyandot Memorial Hospital, Upper Sandusky

Concurrently, twenty-eight hospitals will receive additional federal funds through the Small Rural Hospital Improvement Grant Program, which provides rural hospitals funds for quality improvement and operational initiatives and assistance with compliance with the patient privacy Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). Hospitals each receiving $9,706 grants are:

·         Adams County Hospital, West Union

·         Allen Medical Center, Oberlin

·         Barnesville Hospital

·         Blanchard Valley Hospital – Bluffton Campus

·         Bucyrus Community Hospital

·         Community Memorial Hospital, Hicksville

·         Doctors Hospital of Nelsonville

·         Dunlap Memorial Hospital, Orrville

·         Fayette County Memorial Hospital, Washington Court House

·         Fostoria Community Hospital, Fostoria

·         Galion Community Hospital

·         Greenfield Area Medical Center

·         H. B. Magruder Memorial Hospital, Port Clinton

·         Hardin Memorial Hospital, Kenton

·         Harrison Community Hospital, Cadiz

·         Henry County Hospital, Napoleon

·         Holzer Medical Center, Jackson

·         Lodi Community Hospital

·         Mercy Hospital of Willard

·         Mercy Memorial Hospital Urbana

·         Morrow County Hospital, Mount Gilead

·         Paulding County Hospital

·         Pike Community Hospital, Waverly

·         Selby General Hospital, Marietta

·         Twin City Hospital, Dennison

·         UHHS Brown Memorial Hospital, Conneaut

·         UHHS Memorial Hospital of Geneva

·         Wyandot Memorial Hospital, Upper Sandusky

The Foundation for Healthy Communities is sponsored by the Ohio Hospital Association, which represents 162 hospitals and 40 health systems with more than 230,000 employees. It was created and endowed by Ohio hospitals in 1994 to promote improvement in community health status and encourage hospitals to help prevent illness and injury. Learn more about the Foundation for Healthy Communities at www.HealthyCommunitiesOhio.org.

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