Recipients of the 2019 MultiPlan Rural Health Grant Announced
MultiPlan, Inc. today announced the recipients of its 2019 Rural Health Grant. The four hospitals selected to receive this year’s grants have each submitted creative proposals for addressing the healthcare needs of people in their community. The recipients of the 2019 MultiPlan Rural Health Grant are:
- A.O. Fox Memorial Hospital in Oneonta, New York
- Cuero Regional Hospital in Cuero, Texas
- Hemphill County Hospital District in Canadian, Texas
- Mid-Columbia Medical Center in The Dalles, Oregon
A.O. Fox Memorial Hospital will implement a food pharmacy program to help address food insecurity issues of patients in the community. Primary care providers at A.O. Fox will refer patients to these food “pharmacies,” which will provide patients with fresh fruits and vegetables, healthy non-perishable items, as well as referrals to support services. The hospital is partnering with local organizations and volunteers to support the program.
Cuero Regional Hospital will use their grant to establish an outpatient psychiatric program using telemedicine. There are currently no mental health services in the entire DeWitt County and travel to larger cities for psychiatric services is not a feasible or affordable option for many in the county. The use of telemedicine will enable the hospital to treat patients in their home community, minimize costs of providing these services, while providing quality, coordinated care.
Mid-Columbia Medical Center will develop a pilot “Veggie RX” program to provide fresh fruits, vegetables and whole grains to food insecure patients in their service area. Along with the food boxes, qualified patients will receive follow up support and resource materials and will be monitored by Registered Nurses to evaluate participation. The pilot will be limited to 25 individuals with the goal of launching a larger program with sustainable funding.
Hemphill County Hospital District will launch TeleSchool, a school based health center program to increase access to healthcare services for children in the community. A school nurse, working with a licensed healthcare provider via telecommunication will be able to provide exams, diagnoses and treatment at the school. The TeleSchool program provides a solution that will improve access to care, and potentially improve the health of school-aged patients. This program also saves parents from having to take time off work for medical appointments, and reduces utilization of ER for routine care.
About the MultiPlan Rural Health Grant
Since the program’s inception in 1995, MultiPlan has awarded over half a million dollars to hospitals serving rural communities. Grant recipients use the funds to help them introduce or expand services, education, screenings and other endeavors that support the healthcare needs of people in their communities.
For more information about the MultiPlan Rural Health Grant and other programs that help support MultiPlan participating hospitals and the patients they serve, visit www.multiplan.com/ruralgrant.
About MultiPlan
MultiPlan is committed to helping healthcare payers manage the cost of care, improve their competitiveness and inspire positive change. Leveraging sophisticated technology, data analytics and a team rich with industry experience, the company interprets clients’ needs and customizes innovative solutions that combine its payment integrity, network-based and analytics-based services. MultiPlan is a trusted partner to over 900,000 healthcare providers nationwide and to 700 healthcare payers in the commercial health, property and casualty, and government markets with 60 million members using our networks. MultiPlan is owned by Hellman & Friedman and other investors. For more information, visit multiplan.com.
