Hospital receives $10.3M state grant

MONTOUR FALLS--Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced $40 million to support six projects that will improve the Southern Tier's health care system. Locally, Schuyler Hospital receives $10,304,060 under the plan. The money is part of the $491 million statewide Health Care Facility Transformation Program, to improve patient care through the development of medical facilities and programs serving the inpatient, primary care, mental health, substance use disorder and long-term care needs of communities. Schuyler Hospital was awarded the highest dollar sum in the Southern Tier awards group.
The state describes the work at Schuyler as "construction of a primary care hospital-based clinic, and repurposing of inpatient space to enhance outpatient specialty services capacity."
"Now, more than ever, we need to protect health care in New York and ensure the system in place is meeting the needs of current and future generations of New Yorkers," Cuomo said. "While others seek to decimate our hospitals and reduce access to quality healthcare, we are investing to help ensure a stronger, healthier New York for all."
Also included in the awards group were Arnot Ogden Medical Center with $10,000,000 and Finger Lakes Migrant Health Project, $2,150,000. Arnot will complete capital improvements to expand and renovate the emergency department. The Migrant Health Project plans the construction of a health center in Bath that will integrate primary care and behavioral health.
The statewide Health Care Facility Transformation Program was enacted as part of the state fiscal year (FY) 2017 budget. Additional funding was made available in the recently enacted FY 2018 budget.
The program is administered by the Department of Health and the Dormitory Authority of the State of New York and help support the objectives of the Delivery System Reform Incentive Program. The purpose of that program is to reduce health care costs and improve the health outcomes of New Yorkers by expanding access to inpatient, primary, preventative and other ambulatory care services as part of regionally integrated healthcare delivery systems. The Delivery System Reform Incentive Program primary goal is to reduce avoidable hospital visits by 25 percent by 2020. The Health Care Facility Transformation Program awards are also focused on projects which will help ensure the financial sustainability of safety net healthcare providers, and the preservation or expansion of essential health care services.