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Area Hospital Partnership Receives Federal Grant

(May 28, 2003) --The Susquehanna Valley Rural Health Partnership (SVRHP), formed in 2002 by Jersey Shore Hospital, Bucktail Medical Center, Muncy Valley Hospital and the Williamsport Hospital & Medical center has been named the recipient of a multi-year grant by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HHS) of the US Department of Health & Human Services to continue the network's organizational development.

Announcement of the award was issued in a May 1, 2003 press release from HHS Secretary Tommy G. Thompson. "These grants foster partnerships and creative strategies to help bring healthcare to rural Americans who might not receive it otherwise," said Thompson. "They enable health care and social service providers, health centers, hospitals and universities to pool resources and efforts to provide more and better services."

The award is one of twenty Rural Health Network Development Grants approved as part of the HHS's efforts to improve rural health care across the nation. Funds totaling $600,000, over three years, will be used to establish and improve the integration of management information systems, corporate compliance support and performance improvement initiatives for the three critical access hospital (CAH) members.

The grant will also set up the infrastructure of the SVRHP. The primary goal for the first year of funding will be to establish a telehealth network between the member hospitals. The telehealth network will allow remote health care providers access to a patient's clinical record and a digital medical library. This access will enhance physician decision making during the point of care, regardless of where or when the patient would present within the network. The telehealth network is designed to improve patient care and the overall health status of residents in Lycoming, Clinton and Sullivan counties. It will also provide access to a digital medical reference library, provide the ability to connect and share systems such as pharmacy and radiology between network members and increase access to specialists.

"We are very excited about the grant award and are looking forward to implementing the goals established for the Partnership," said Lou Ditzel, President and CEO of Jersey Shore Hospital and President of the Partnership. "Funding for health care in rural areas is a challenge and collaboration is a means of overcoming these challenges. The Partnership will continue to evolve and look for ways to integrate efforts with providers in ways that can help improve the health status of our communities."