Allen County commissioners agreed this week to provide a letter of support for a federal grant application that could help fund major equipment upgrades at Allen County Regional Hospital.
Hospital administrator Pat Patton told commissioners that the opportunity arose after Congressman Derek Schmidt’s office contacted the hospital about Community Project Funding (CPF) grants. The federal funds are earmarked specifically for healthcare facilities, mental health programs and related services to upgrade facilities and equipment.
Patton said the hospital had a short timeframe to apply for the grant after being notified of the opportunity the previous week.
“We were notified last Monday and we’ve got to have it in by Friday,” Patton said.
ONE OF the requirements of the grant application is a letter of support from a community leadership organization, such as a county commission.
If successful, the hospital plans to use the funding to replace aging diagnostic equipment.
Patton said the hospital hopes to upgrade its mammography system to a newer, more advanced model. The hospital currently offers 3D mammography, but the system in use is older and due for replacement.
The grant request would also help fund a new radiology room equipped with updated imaging technology.
The combined cost of the proposed equipment upgrades is estimated at about $1.5 million. Patton said the hospital does not expect to receive the full amount through the grant but hopes to secure at least partial funding to help offset the expense.
He noted that finding funding for capital projects can be challenging for healthcare facilities because operating margins are often limited.
DURING THE discussion, Patton also provided an update on the hospital’s recent performance.
The hospital recently received a four-star rating from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), marking the first time the hospital has received a star rating under the federal system. Hospitals are rated on a five-star scale that measures quality and performance.
Patton said the rating represents a significant achievement for the hospital, particularly because critical access hospitals do not always receive star ratings under the CMS program.
The hospital has also experienced strong operational performance in recent months. Patton told commissioners that patient volumes have been good and that the hospital recently made changes to its hospitalist program, bringing in additional providers.
“We’re still not quite in the black, but we beat our budget by almost $4.6 million what we were supposed to be,” said Patton. “We’re doing pretty good.”
Several improvements in hospital culture and service delivery have contributed to those results, he said, though the organization continues to work toward further progress.
