02
Feb
2015

Healthcare Grants Provide Shot in the Arm for Patients

Healthcare Grants Provide Shot in the Arm for Patients

Hospitals and other medical facilities often have to run on a tight budget.

The focus is on paying current bills and maintaining equipment without much left over for new innovations and upgrades.

With the use of grants, these places can enhance patient care by updating to the latest technology and changing the way the organization operates.

Minnesota is Equipping Facilities for the Future

The Minnesota Department of Health offers numerous loans and grants to medical facilities to help them improve patient care. Loans they must pay back, while grants are free money added to the revenue for the organization.

Many of these grants are designed to improve care in rural areas or for those facilities that serve people with lower incomes.

For example, the Community Clinic Grant Program provides funds to help establish or operate services in new clinics. The Dental Safety Net Grant Program assists dental facilities who treat uninsured patients.

The Rural Hospital Capital Improvement Grant Program enables small rural hospitals on limited budgets to make needed upgrades to the facility or equipment to provide high-quality patient care.

These upgrades can enable smaller hospitals to compete with larger organizations by providing first-class care to those who cannot or will not travel to the cities.

Massachusetts Providing More Effective Care

In July of 2014, $23 million in funding was provided to hospitals and other medical facilities to improve patient care.

The funding was for the Infrastructure and Capacity Building grant to utilize or improve the use of Mass HIWay, which is an electronic health record service. It has been proven that using electronic health records improves patient care by providing the most up-dated information to the medical team.

Hospitals throughout the state will use the funds in different ways.

Some facilities will use it for outreach and enrollment, to develop acute and post-acute networks that are integrated and to design a practice support center.

Government Grants

Many grants are funded through the state or through private organizations.

However, as the article, “USDA Announces $10 Million in Healthcare Grants”, mentions, the U.S. Department of Agriculture is also assisting rural facilities with needed funds.

Often facilities in rural areas do not have the latest technology and equipment to provide the best patient care.

They rely on outdated systems that no longer work. Patients who live in these areas are often stuck with the options they are given because they cannot commute to larger hospitals.

Staff members leave these facilities to work in areas with newer equipment and systems, leaving rural facilities understaffed. With newer technology and training, staff members can improve patient care while attracting highly-trained doctors and other medical professionals.

At the same time, it reduces the cost because patients have fewer visits and shorter stays.

Grants can help medical facilities improve patient care and efficiency when they are on a limited budget.

This benefits not only the hospitals and clinics by reducing costs, but it helps patients to get better care and have fewer problems after receiving care.

About the Author: Joyce Morse is an author who writes on a variety of topics, including business and healthcare.

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