USDA Secretary https://www.usda.gov recently announced that the agency is establishing a program to expand rural hospitals and providers’ access to COVID-19 vaccines and testing, to build or renovate facilities, and to purchase medical and supplies.
The initial awards for the Emergency Rural Health Care Grants totaling $43 million were made available through the American Rescue Plan Act. The funds will benefit 2.2 million people who live and work in rural America. Awardees include 93 rural healthcare organizations and community groups across 22 states.
Several grants awarded to address the use of telehealth are:
- Appleton Area Health in Minnesota will use $174,300 grant funds to upgrade telehealth and telemedicine capabilities and replace hospital equipment. Funds will be used to purchase and install 28 flat panel television monitors with cameras for clinic exam rooms and hospital patient rooms
- Neosho Memorial Regional Medical Center in Kansas will use $434,300 to purchase and install telehealth infrastructure and upgrade health information systems to help the medical center
- McAlester Regional Health Care Authority in Oklahoma will use $71,300 to provide a telehealth program
- Adagio Health Inc. will use $122,400 to buy medical supplies and increase their telehealth capabilities
Go to https://rd.usda.gov/sites/default/files/USDA_ERHC_Grants_04_13_2022.pdf for the list of awards.
In total, the Emergency Rural Health Care Grants will use up to $475 million in grants to expand rural hospitals and providers. Additional awards will be announced in the coming months.