WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) today announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has awarded a grant of $157,300 to the Saint Vincent Health Center Foundation for increased access to health care services in rural areas.
“These funds will help health care providers take advantage of technological advancements to provide the best possible care to our rural communities,” said Senator Casey. “I am pleased the USDA recognizes the need to focus on Pennsylvania’s rural communities.”
Funds will be used to upgrade an expansion of an existing telemedicine system, extending the service to three more hospitals associated with Saint Vincent. The project will upgrade the system’s central control equipment to build the capacity and interoperability needed to accommodate for the expansion.
The funding is provided by the Distance Learning and Telemedicine (DLT) Grant Program, which provides access to education, training and health care resources in rural areas.
The DLT grants fall under USDA’s rural development mission area, which is designed to improve the economic stability or rural communities, businesses, residents, farmers and ranchers to improve quality of life in rural America.
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