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SACRAMENTO – In a move designed to speed adoption of electronic health records in rural hospitals, UnitedHealth Group recently announced it will invest $10 million in California’s Critical Access Hospitals to help them beef up their IT systems and infrastructure.
“UnitedHealth Group is committed to investing in California’s health care infrastructure to help ensure that all Californians have access to care,” said Steve Nelson, West Region CEO, UnitedHealthcare. “California’s Critical Access Hospitals play a vital role in sustaining the health and well-being of so many communities statewide. It is important that they have access to technology that will enable them to deliver quality care to their patients.”
The funds will be made available from UnitedHealth Group’s California Health Care Investment Program, a 20-year, $200 million commitment to health care organizations that provide services to underserved, low-income and underinsured communities and populations throughout California.
“This grant from UnitedHealth Group and subsequent investment will undoubtedly play a significant role in improving health care services provided by California’s Critical Access Hospitals," said Raymond T. Hino, chairman of the California Critical Access Hospital Network. "This is a welcome support that will go a long way toward helping our underserved regions of the Golden State."
California’s Critical Access Hospitals are healthcare facilities with a maximum of 25 beds that are located in rural areas more than 35 miles from another hospital, or hospitals in mountainous terrain more than 15 miles from another hospital and served only by secondary roads.
In addition, UnitedHealth is providing $200,000 in grants to the California State Rural Health Association (CSRHA) aimed at assessing the IT needs of the 31 Critical Access Hospitals, for the purposes of deploying the $10 million where it is needed most.
“We are grateful for UnitedHealth Group’s grants and investments in our Critical Access Hospitals. The funds will certainly make a lasting impact in our ability to bring access to quality health care in communities that need it the most,” said Desiree Rose, CSRHA executive director.
