PIERRE, S.D. – Twenty-three rural hospitals in South Dakota will receive a total of $278,037 in federal funding for projects to improve patient access, reduce medication errors, reduce hospital readmissions, and improve operations.
The federal Medicare Rural Hospital Flexibility Program funding comes through the South Dakota Department of Health. Over the last 12 years, rural hospitals in South Dakota have received more than $4,078,000 in direct awards through the program.
Hospitals must be Medicare-certified as critical access to be eligible for the funds. Critical access hospitals receive a higher Medicare reimbursement rate and are eligible for federal funding for improvement projects. There are currently 38 critical access hospitals in South Dakota.
The funding helps rural hospitals make direct, positive impacts on patient care and health outcomes, noted an official from the Platte Health Center – Avera, one of the facilities receiving funds.
“Without the additional supplemental financial assistance we receive from this program, we would not have been able to implement the programs and processes we currently have in place,” said Jody Sternberg, RN, and Director of Patient Care Services at Platte. “This program makes a difference for critical access hospitals.”
Sustaining essential healthcare services in rural and underserved areas is a key objective of the Department of Health’s 2020 Initiative.
Hospitals receiving Medicare Rural Hospital Flexibility Program direct awards are listed below.
— 30 –
|
HOSPITALS RECEIVING DIRECT AWARDS THROUGH THE |
|
| Burke – Community Memorial Hospital |
$11,394 |
| Canton – Sanford Canton-Inwood Medical Center |
$11,199 |
| Chamberlain – Sanford Chamberlain Medical Center |
$12,586 |
| Clear Lake, Sanford Clear Lake Medical Center |
$11,400 |
| Dell Rapids, Avera Dells Area Hospital |
$6,325 |
| DeSmet, Avera DeSmet Memorial Hospital |
$6,331 |
| Flandreau, Avera Flandreau Hospital |
$7,825 |
| Vermillion, Sanford Vermillion Medical Center |
$11,400 |
| Viborg, Pioneer Memorial Hospital |
$11,400 |
| Webster, Sanford Webster Medical Center |
$11,331 |
| Wessington Springs, Avera Weskota Memorial Hospital |
$14,256 |
| Winner – Winner Regional Healthcare Center |
$11,400 |
| Britton, Marshall County Hospital |
$12,930 |
| Philip, Philip Health Services |
$13,135 |
| Wagner, Wagner Community Memorial Hospital – Avera |
$6,916 |
| Faulkton, Faulkton Area Medical Center |
$15,000 |
| Martin, Bennett County Hospital |
$15,000 |
| Platte, Platte Health Center – Avera |
$15,000 |
| Redfield – Community Memorial Hospital |
$15,000 |
| Bowdle, Bowdle Hospital |
$15,000 |
| Hot Springs, Fall River Health Services |
$15,000 |
| Mobridge, Mobridge Regional Hospital |
$13,200 |
| Parkston, Avera St. Benedict Health Center |
$15,000 |