Hospital receives grant for ER technology

Chase County Community Hospital (CCCH) has received grant money from the Helmsley Charitable Trust.
Helmsley’s Rural Healthcare Program funds projects that use information technologies to connect rural patients to emergency medical care.
CCCH received $138,044 from the grant.
The money will go toward funding a program called Avera eEmergency, including purchasing equipment and partially assisting with monthly fees.
The program gives healthcare professionals immediate access to specialty care by allowing ER-trained professionals to assist via telescreens.
The grant will be used to purchase eEmergency equipment that connects local providers with emergency specialists.
Chase County Hospital Foundation Assistant Executive Director Deb Hrcka said while they’ve received the grant, COVID-19 may delay things.
“There’s a lot of things that are on hold,” Hrcka said. “But we have a set guideline and goals, but it just depends on the equipment and the training.”
The implementation of the eEmergency program also depends on when equipment can be delivered to Chase County.
“It’s just that we don’t know when for sure it’ll be here, and it’s all up in the air,” Hrcka said.
While the pandemic is changing everything, “having board certified emergency physicians and nurses at your fingertips is a great way to inspire confidence from the public. Things might get delayed, but the service is coming,” a representative from Helmsley said.
“When the service is live, it’s going to supplement the great care CCCH provides already,” they added.