Athol Hospital participation in the Rural Hospital Stabilization Program
Athol, MA - Athol Hospital is excited to announce our participation in the Rural Hospital Stabilization Program. This nationwide federal program provides technical assistance to rural hospitals, at no cost to the hospital, to help improve financial stability by enhancing or expanding health care services that meet community needs.
Athol Hospital applied for the program last fall and began receiving hands-on technical assistance in January of this year. As part of our participation, Athol Hospital will receive a comprehensive set of financial and operational assessments to help inform action and implementation plans to expand or introduce new service lines and help keep care local to the Athol service area. The program provides funding for operational and equipment costs to support these service line efforts.
“We are proud to be selected for the Rural Hospital Stabilization Program, which strengthens our ability to enhance services and keep high-quality care close to home for the communities we serve in Athol and the greater Gardner region.” says CEO and President of Heywood Healthcare, Rozanna Penney on what it means to be selected as a participant. Eight hospitals were selected from across the country to participate in this year’s cohort. These organizations will have the opportunity to learn together, share experiences, and build their network of similar organizations.
As participants of the program, Athol Hospital will also receive funding to support a Community Engagement Champion position. This role will help the hospital build lasting relationships within the community, lead outreach and marketing efforts for services, and share the impact of the hospital on the local community. Theresa Thompson has been chosen to fill this role and began this month.
The Rural Hospital Stabilization Program is funded by the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy, a division of the Health Resources and Services Administration. Services and technical assistance are managed and provided by the National Rural Health Resource Center. Read more about the program at ruralcenter.org/programs/stabilization.