Heroes in Their Communities

Many rural hospitals were built in the 19th or early 20th century. They represent a group of providers who have no choice but to leapfrog into the 21st century in terms of facilities improvements. Like many organizations that delay technology implementation, they may benefit from having waited. In fact, their remoteness demands implementation of state-of-the-art telemedicine and digital radiology.


"The number one issue that small, rural or isolated clinics and hospitals face is access to fast, quality interpretation of the imaging studies performed at their sites," said Jeffrey S. Kennelly, Senior Sales Engineer, NovaRad Corporation, American Fork, UT. The company provides PACS, RIS, and CR solutions. "PACS allows these sites to not only receive fast interpretations for their ordering clinicians and patients, but also allows them to select the highest quality service from many available providers of remote radiologist interpretation services. They aren't limited to just the regional radiologists' service offerings. These rural facilities essentially can operate with the same abilities as their competition in the metropolitan environment with the same budget or less than they spend in film."

Another result of the overdue infrastructure investment that some rural health facilities are now making is the need for wholesale rebuilding or significant new expansion through sizable construction projects and major technology upgrades. It hasn't been an incremental approach.

"It's not unusual for rural hospitals to be in older, antiquated buildings that they want to update dramatically," said Morris A. Stein, Senior Vice President, HKS, Inc., Phoenix, AZ, a leading hospital architecture firm. "Whereas our urban clients are spending money regularly to remodel a wing, add something on or change technology, a rural hospital may live with it until they do a large project. It's like comparing running a 100-dash every day to running a marathon twice in your life," Stein said of the total rebuilding of ages-old rural hospitals. He cautioned, "Reimbursement only goes so far. Most hospitals are paid for with bonds or philanthropy, both of which are in short supply these days."

While the current economic slide may take its toll on project planning, many rural hospitals are rebuilding and re-equipping their facilities with projects previously funded. In fact, right now is a good time to consider such projects since materials costs are down. The following is an example of a rural hospital that has taken advantage of that lower cost by deciding to upgrade.

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