The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) recently announced that St. Lawrence Health (SLH)/Gouverneur Hospital is the recipient of a $10,000,000 grant for the funding and formation of a St. Lawrence Rural Transport Consortium led by Gouverneur Hospital.
The funds will be utilized to support the implementation of a St. Lawrence Health-wide electronic health record (EHR) to establish an inter-facility Transport Coordination Center and training for Emergency Medical Services (EMS) staff.
“Access to modern and sustainable healthcare infrastructure is critical to the health, well-being and prosperity for the millions of people who live in rural and Tribal communities,” commented USDA NYS Director of Rural Development Brian Murray.
“The grant will be used to solve the issue of the lack of emergency medical technicians and paramedics in our rural region, as well as the ability to utilize a comprehensive electronic health record across our three SLH hospitals, clinics, and services,” St. Lawrence Health and Canton-Potsdam Hospital President Donna McGregor said of Canton-Potsdam, Gouverneur, and Massena hospitals and facilities.
The three hospitals will partner with the Gouverneur Volunteer Rescue Squad and Potsdam Volunteer Rescue Squad, which are the primary resources for getting patients to the hospital for emergency treatment.
The hospitals and rescue squads will further partner with Clarkson University in Potsdam, which will provide training for future emergency medical technicians and paramedics. The University will develop an academic training program that will be subject to accreditation by the Commission of Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs.
“The grant dollars will fund the cost of tuition, setting up the simulation laboratory needed for training, and ongoing continued medical education,” Ms. McGregor said.
“Moving to fully integrated, unified electronic health record platforms will enable SLH hospitals and other medical personal, including St. Lawrence County partner rescue squads, to provide increased quality of services, and potentially life-saving treatment, during emergency situations,” she added.
The establishment of the St. Lawrence Rural Transport Consortium will be the final phase of the project, where coordination will take place between all the involved entities and staff for optimal patient care.
“Our three hospitals provide unique services and specialists, so the need to transfer patients is likely and often emergent. Coordination between the rescue squads and hospitals is essential when involving patient transportation,” Ms. McGregor noted.
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