Rural Healthcare
Avera Health System
South Dakota - United StateseEmergency Remote Access to Specialty Care
$6,338,266; thirty months
With support from The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust, Avera Health System will be able to institute an eEmergency service model to provide and study remote emergency care services at 14 rural sites. The project will utilize sophisticated video links, telehealth equipment, and dedicated physician time to provide remote, 24-hour access to emergency physicians and other specialists.
South Dakota ranks in the bottom tenth percentile of the country for the lack of support of an emergency care system to meet the needs of its residents. The Avera eEmergency project will allow for faster diagnosis and treatment in rural hospital emergency rooms, translating to improved recoveries and lives saved for critically-ill patients.
Avera, the health ministry of the Benedictine Sisters of Yankton, SD, and the Presentation Sisters of Aberdeen, SD, is a regional partnership of health professionals that shares support services to maintain excellent care at more than 235 locations in eastern South Dakota and surrounding states.
Avera Health System
Sioux Falls, SD - United StatesePharmacy Rural Medication Safety Program
$5,216,379; thirty months
The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust is supporting the creation of an ePharmacy service model in 14 rural sites in South Dakota.
Lack of pharmacy coverage creates the potential for medication errors that can result in severe consequences for patients including discomfort, allergic reactions, disability, and even death. Specifically, rural hospitals have limited access to pharmacists due to severe workforce shortages. The Avera ePharmacy project will provide hospitals with remote access to 24-hour pharmacy review and, by doing so, will be able to serve patients with safer, more responsive medication practices.
Avera, the health ministry of the Benedictine Sisters of Yankton, SD, and the Presentation Sisters of Aberdeen, SD, is a regional partnership of health professionals that shares support services to maintain excellent care at more than 235 locations in eastern South Dakota and surrounding states.
Avera Queen of Peace Health Services
Mitchell, SD - United StatesAdvanced Cancer Treatment and Detection Project
$2,009,459; two years
With support from The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust, Avera Queen of Peace Cancer Center will be able to bring advanced cancer therapies and screening technologies to the 19-county region of South Dakota.
The Avera Queen of Peace Hospital in Mitchell, SD, is the largest health care facility in a 19-county region and sees an average of 233 cancer cases per year. Because the recommended treatments for many common cancers are not available at Avera Queen of Peace’s Cancer Center, many patients face a drive of up to three hours for radiation treatments. The equipment purchases, facilities preparation expenses, and an additional staff member will be able to directly address the most pressing cancer treatment issues faced by patients in the Mitchell, SD region.
Avera Queen of Peace Hospital in Mitchell, SD, the union of St. Joseph Hospital and Methodist Hospital in 1991, is a comprehensive medical facility offering state-of-the-art technology and services.
National Rural Health Association
Washington, DC and Kansas City, KS - United StatesEnsuring Access to Health Care Services for Rural Residents
$717,742; three years
The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust is providing support for staff and programs to help ensure rural healthcare is represented in upcoming policy debates and help disseminate health information technology breakthroughs across rural health care settings. Specifically, this support will allow NRHA to take on additional staff, as well as host meetings to develop policy priorities and share best practices among its member organizations.
From lower average incomes, to geographic isolation, to a severe shortage of qualified health care providers, rural Americans are often disadvantaged in their ability to access high quality, affordable health care. A non-profit membership organization with over 18,000 members, the NRHA seeks to improve rural health through leadership in the areas of education, communications, research, and advocacy.