To strengthen rural health care in South Carolina, $167 million worth of grants have been awarded to health care-related organizations.
At a press conference held last week in Newberry, Governor Henry McMaster gathered with rural health care leaders to announce the investment which is funded through the federal Rural Health Transformation Program.
“Every South Carolinian should have access to quality health care close to home, no matter where they live,” said Gov. Henry McMaster. “South Carolina is working to ensure rural communities have the resources they need to provide that care, and this is another important step in strengthening health care across our state.”
The funding is aimed at strengthening healthcare access, quality and outcomes in primary care, maternal and infant care, pediatrics and behavioral health in rural communities. These grants provide one-time funding for high-impact, sustainable healthcare initiatives that remove systemic challenges and build infrastructure and long-term capacity through facility modernization, technology upgrades and workforce development.
Eunice Medina is the director of the South Carolina Department of Health and Human Services. She said out of more than 700 applications, 228 were awarded the federal money.
“These investments will expand access to care while helping rural providers modernize facilities and technology and strengthen their workforce,” Medina said. “Here in Newberry we can see exactly what that means. Newberry Health received 12 awards totaling more than 10 million to modernize critical equipment and systems, expand surgical capacity, strengthen safety and cyber security and improve care for mothers, babies, and patients throughout this region.”
John Snow is the chief executive officer at Newberry health. He said for rural communities like Newberry, this investment is about more than improving healthcare infrastructure.
“It’s about reimagining how we deliver care, it is about removing barriers, and expanding opportunities and ensuring that our neighbors have access to high-quality healthcare close to home,” Snow said.
Under the initiative Connections to Care, 21 healthcare entities received funding to expand remote patient monitoring and assistive technology. Remote patient monitoring is a type of telehealth that uses digital medical devices to track your health at home, share information with your health care provider, and manage care between visits.
Funds awarded to the telehealth network, Palmetto Care Connections, under the initiative ‘wellness within reach’ will be used to deploy a mobile telehealth unit that brings primary care, preventive screenings, chronic disease management and access to specialty care to people in rural and underserved communities across 12 counties.
“During Covid you learned that the gap between rural and urban still exists and it is prevalent and it is big and this will help us to close that gap,” said Kathy Schwarting the chief executive officer of Palmetto Care Connections. “And to be able to make sure that all citizens of South Carolina receive access to care- quality care, that they need and deserve.”