KALAMAZOO, MI (WKZO AM/FM) – The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced on Wednesday, August 2 that the USDA is expanding access to health care for three Michigan communities. One of those is in Southwest Michigan.
Covered Bridge Healthcare of St. Joseph County Inc. will use a $1 million grant to purchase equipment that will improve telehealth services among other future pandemic and medical surge preparation projects.
Other recipients include the City of Owosso, in Shiawassee County, that will use two grants totaling $152,500 to purchase an ambulance and three heart monitors/defibrillators. The ambulance will replace an existing vehicle worn out by heavy use during the COVID-19 global pandemic.
Also on the list, Harbor Beach Community Hospital, in Huron County, that will use a $1 million grant to purchase a standard X-ray machine, a portable X-ray machine to limit movement of highly infectious patients throughout the facility, and a nuclear medicine machine. The hospital will also upgrade heating, ventilation, and air conditioning components, and food storage equipment to increase surge capacity for future public health events.
The USDA is also set to award $129 million in emergency rural health care grants to improve health care facilities in rural towns across the nation, which officials say will help 172 rural health care organizations expand critical services.
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