The U.S. Department of Agriculture awarded more than $1.9 million to help fund capital projects at Mercy hospitals in three rural Oklahoma communities. The cost-sharing grants will provide supplemental funding for new technology that will directly impact patient care in Ada, Tishomingo and Watonga.
Hospitals and health care providers in 39 states were selected to receive $129 million in one-time emergency rural health care grants to improve health care facilities across the country. Mercy, which proudly serves 15 rural Oklahoma communities, was one of 13 organizations in Oklahoma to receive the funding.
The challenges of health care economics due to overall inflation, increased costs, labor shortages, reimbursement rates, etc., have been widely reported. According to the latest data from the Center for Healthcare Quality and Payment Reform, 300 hospitals nationwide are at immediate risk of closing. Funding construction projects and paying for new technology is a challenge for hospitals across the country.
Grant dollars are essential to continuing Mercy’s mission across Oklahoma. Mercy Health Foundation is integral in assisting with the applications for these funding opportunities.
“Every dollar of these grants will go directly into patient care so we can provide the latest technology for patients seeking care in these communities,” said Jim Gebhart, community president of Mercy in Oklahoma. “We are so thankful to be chosen as a recipient.”
The awards were granted on a cost-sharing basis, meaning Mercy will invest a percentage of the cost of each of these projects with the grant money used to close the funding gap.
Mercy received USDA grants designated for rural health care in 2019. Mercy Hospital Healdton and Mercy Hospital Kingfisher were awarded telemedicine grants to expand virtual care options in these communities.
The following projects will be completed with the funding:
Mercy Hospital Ada – $1,000,000
- CT scanner
- MRI equipment
- Nuclear medicine equipment
- More inpatient oxygen tanks
Mercy Hospital Tishomingo – $890,670
- X-ray machine
- CT scanner
- Lab equipment
- Vital sign machines
- Nursing documentation stations
- Patient lift system
Mercy Hospital Watonga – $62,923
To learn more about current projects and to get involved in making care accessible for all in Oklahoma, visitmercyhealthfoundation.net.
