Schuyler Hospital receives $6.4M grant

    MONTOUR FALLS—Schuyler Hospital was awarded a $6,449,544 grant from New York state, Friday, June 15.
    The grants are made available through New York State’s Health Care Efficiency and Affordability Law (HEAL NY). Statewide, the $301.1 million in HEAL NY grants will help 40 hospitals and nursing homes improve primary and community-based care, eliminate excess bed capacity, and reduce over-reliance on inpatient care in hospitals and nursing homes.
    Schuyler Hospital President Andy Manzer said the money will be used to improve and expand surgery, radiology, technology infrastructure, orthopedics, equipment, and pre- and post-care in the next year and a half. Specifically, he said the hospital’s three operating rooms will all be rebuilt with new equipment. Manzer added a lot of focus will be given to the first floor, by expanding radiology and the rehabilitation program. He also said the orthopedic sports program with Cayuga Medical Center will be expanded.
    Governor Andrew M. Cuomo announced $19.1 million in grants will go to hospitals and nursing homes in the Southern Tier, continuing efforts to transform the state’s health care system to improve patient care, reduce costs, and ensure that all New Yorkers have access to quality treatment. There were only three hospitals awarded money in the Southern Tier. The other two were Arnot Health, Inc. ($3,500,000) and Vestal Rehabilitation and Nursing Center ($9,108,369).
    “As a result of the hard work of the Medicaid Redesign Team and our actions to transform the state’s health care system, we have already taken important steps toward reducing costs and improving care for patients,” Governor Andrew Cuomo said. “These grants to hospitals and nursing homes in the Southern Tier will help our health care facilities deliver better quality care in a more efficient and cost effective manner so all New Yorkers have access to the best care possible when it is needed.”
    The grants announced will help implement recommendations from Governor Cuomo’s Medicaid Redesign Team, including enabling health care facilities to deliver more efficient, higher quality care through restructuring, merging and realigning operations. Additionally, the awards will help develop collaborative projects among health care providers and will support capital projects, such as the conversion of hospital inpatient space to outpatient and ambulatory care and inpatient nursing home capacity to other less-restrictive forms of long-term care.
    DOH received a diverse group of applications from throughout the state. Additional funding will be made available in future rounds to support additional projects including efforts to help develop a high-quality, financially secure and sustainable health system in Brooklyn.
    Sen. Tom O’Mara said, “The most critical and important reform initiatives underway in New York State are the ongoing efforts to make our health care system, particularly Medicaid, more cost-effective and efficient for local property taxpayers, patients and providers. These state grants to support and encourage local health care providers like Arnot Health and Schuyler Hospital restructure and streamline their operations are wise investments.”