Rural practices face unique challenges in enhancing office operations or recruiting staff with specific skills. To help practices meet these challenges, the center collaborates with the S.C. Office of Rural Health to administer micro-grants that can be used for infrastructure (ex. computers, software, system interfaces) or for physician, practitioner or staff development.
Program Information
The Rural Enhancement Grant program is managed by the SC Office of Rural Health. This funding opportunity is for rural health providers to advance their practices through modern technology including computers, information technology (IT) updates, educational materials, training, and/or portable medical devices.
This grant opportunity has been expanded to support practice needs related to COVID-19.
Applications must include a description of items in which the funding will be utilized. Examples of items can include but are not limited to the following:
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Computers - Examples: desktops and laptops
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Information Technology - Examples: software to include Microsoft office and risk assessment tools
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Portable Medical Devices - Examples: remote patient monitoring, blood pressure machines, pulse oximeter, vital signs machines, etc.
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Educational Materials and Training - Examples: PCMH-CCE Continuing Education, Lean Six Sigma Training, IHI Improvement Coach
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COVID-19 Response – Examples: PPE, supplies, signage, plexiglass dividers, staff training, telehealth upgrades, EHR modifications, equipment
Application Information
The 2022 Request for Applications has now closed. Please check back in spring 2023!
For questions about eligibility and more information about this funding opportunity please contact LaRonda Johnson at ljohnson@scorh.net
Funding Criteria and Timeline
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Eligible Applicants: Rural providers
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Application Deadline: June 8, 2022
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Award Notification: June 15, 2022 (anticipated date)
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Funding Award: Awardees will be eligible to receive up to $5,000 per organization
Twenty-four rural enhancement grants were funded by the South Carolina Office of Rural Health with SC Center for Rural and Primary Healthcare in 2023.
| Practice | Award Used For |
|---|---|
| MUSC RHC Primary Care | NARHC Conference, travel, hotel |
| Coastal Plains Primary Care | Education, computers |
| Fairfield Medical Association | Desktop work stations |
| Blythewood Medical Association | Desktop work stations, spirometer |
| North Augusta Pediatrics | Desktop computer, laptops |
| ICNA Relief USA Shifa Free Clinic | Desktop computer, iPad, iPad cover, home BP monitor, glucometer with supplies |
| ChildSmiles Dental | Laptop, printer, toner |
| Cherokee Community Care | Laptop stand, laptop, PC |
| Tri-County Pediatrics | PCMH reporting modules |
| F Marion Dwight Md Pa | HPs, Office suite home and business licenses |
| Angel Oak Family Medicine | Improvement coach professional development program |
| Abbeville Area Healthcare Center | Orchard Software Laboratory Software |
| Due West Family Medicine | Orchard Software Laboratory Software, scanner, accessories |
| Family Medicine Associates | Generator, BP pulse oximeters, iPads |
| Lake City Family Medicine | BP pulse oximeters, iPads |
| Allendale County Hospital | Dragon Medical Annual Subscriptions, headsets, iPads, implementation and training |
| Emmanual Family | AED, crash cart, printer |
| Family Healthcare North Saluda | EKG machine |
| Family Healthcare South Saluda | EKG machine |
| Edgefield Medical Center | Vaccine refrigerator, pharmacy freezer |
| FHC Newberry | Cardiology stethoscopes, laser printer |
| Pediatric Associates of Kershaw County | Computers, phones, phone systems |
| Prisma Health Advanced Family Medicine | Vital machine, stand |
| Shop Her Closet Outreach Community Center | Laptops, desktop computers, printer, headphones, copier paper |
Twenty-four rural enhancement grants were funded by the South Carolina Office of Rural Health with SC Center for Rural and Primary Healthcare in 2022.
| Practice | Award Used For |
|---|---|
| Counseling Services of Lancaster | Cameras and computers |
| Family Medicine Associates | Laptops |
| RMC Primary Care Holly Hill | Retinal camera |
| Eastern Carolina Pediatric Associates | Laptop, blood pressure cuff, pulse oximeter, stethoscopes |
| Sycamore Health | Scale, no-contact body temperature thermometer |
| Blythewood Medical | DM eye machine, desktops computers |
| Coastal Plains | Vital machine, computers, pulse oximeter |
| Edgefield Medical | Vital machine |
| Emmanuel Family | Printer, laptop, IT support |
| Fairfield Medical | Laptop, spirometer, desktop computer |
| Family Healthcare Newberry | EKG machine and cart |
| Family Healthcare South Saluda | Vital sign machine |
| Healthwise Family | NARHC conference travel |
| Union Medical Center | Palm vein |
| F. Marion Dwight | Computer and monitor |
| FHC North Saluda | Vital machine |
| Abbeville Area Healthcare | Laptops, wheelchair |
| Due West | Laptops, wheelchair |
| Walterboro Adult and Pediatrics | EKG machine, computers |
| N Augusta Pediatrics | Scanners, computers |
| Lake City Family Medicine | Laptops |
| Lovelace | Laptop, scan snap, Microsoft Teams access |
| Angel Oak | Hard drive |
| Primary Care Of Union | Vital sign machine |
In 2021, 24 rural enhancement grants were funded by the South Carolina Office of Rural Health with SC Center for Rural and Primary Healthcare. This year, in addition to providing funding for rural practices to acquire new technology and training, funds were also made available to support practice needs related to COVID-19.
| Practice | Award Used For |
|---|---|
| Lake City Family Medicine | Laptops, Remote patient monitoring |
| Cherokee Community Care | Vital Sign Monitor, HbA1C Analyzer |
| Angel Oak Family Medicine | Vital Sign Monitor, Gloves, Fax Machine, etc. |
| Edisto Regional Health Services | Testing kits |
| Cherokee Medical Center | Portable Digital Scale, Refrigerator |
| Fairfield/Blythewood Medical Assoc | HEDIS Module, E-Clinical Works Bundle |
| F.Marion Dwight MD PA | Manual Blood Pressure Cuffs, Laptops |
| Allendale County Hospital | Vital Sign Machine Monitor |
| Coastal Plains Primary Care | Umbilical Cord calm remover, Pediartic BP Cuffs |
| Edgefield Medical Center | EKG Machine |
| Counseling Services of Lancaster | WiFi Upgrades, Fiber Cabling, New Phone System |
| Walterboro Adult & Pediatric | Vital Sign Equipment |
| Carolina Medical Associates / Laffitte & Warren | Lancing Device, Digital BP Cuffs |
| McLeod Family Medicine | Computers |
| Lovelace Family Medicine | Laptops |
| Prisma Health-Seneca Medial Associates | BP Monitors, Supplies |
| Riverside Pediatrics | Laptops, Printers, BP Cuffs |
| Palmetto Medical Care, LLC | Vital Sign Monitor, Bariatric Chair |
| Prisma Health - Wallhalla | Blood Glucose Monitors, HbA1C Analyzer |
| Due West Family Medicine | Vital Sign Monitor, Laptops |
| Union Medical Center | BP Pulse Rate Unit, iPads, Exam Bed Repairs |
| John A. Martin Primary | Upgrades for Computer System, Monitors |
| Healthwise Family Practice | Desktop Computers, Printer |
| Abbeville Area Healthcare Center | BP Monitor, Home Hypertension Program |
In 2019, thirty mini-grants for technology were funded by the South Carolina Office of Rural Health with SC Center for Rural and Primary Healthcare. This funding opportunity awarded rural health providers to advance their practices through modern technology, including computers, information technology (IT) updates, educational materials, training, and/or portable medical devices.
| Practice | Award used for | Impact of Award |
|---|---|---|
| Angel Oak Family Medicine | Computers and software | "The purchased of the computers with software to replace our old ones elevated our worries of losing our records and data if the system breaks." |
| HealthWise Family Practice | EHR training | "This training will help us better understand and utilize our EHR system. Our office will benefit by being able to use the system more proficiently." |
| Primary Care of Union | Computers, vital sign machines, pulse oximeters, pediatric thermometer, prescription printer | "We open our practice in August 2018 and now are providing care for over 900 patients. The computers, and portable medical devices allows for fast response to any medical needs so that patients do not have to go elsewhere for care." |
| Singleton Health Center | Travel to workshops | "Educational material and training (including workshops/webinars) will keep the practice current, knowledgeable and compliant of any NCQA changes or requirements, PCMH goals and qualifications." |
| Bamberg Family Medicine | Vital sign machine with stand, digital wheelchair scale | "This grant was very helpful in assisting our practice in obtaining additional medical equipment to better our care and services to our patients. The wheelchair scale allows us to obtain weights on patients that are wheelchair bound." |
| Family Healthcare-Newberry | Dynomap, scanners | "The scanners allows test results, insurance cards, etc., to be scanned into the EMR. This is essential for patient care. The dynomap allows for accurate blood pressure readings for the patients and allows us to see them in a more timely manner." |
| Family Medicine Associates-Kingstree | Vital sign monitor, EKG machine, laptops | "The vital sign monitor improves work flow for patient care. The EKG machine monitor patient's heart." |
| Lake City Family Medicine | Laptops, portable medical devices, education materials | "The vital signs monitor allows us to obtain the patient's BP, pulse, heart rate and oxygen level. It helps improve work flow for the staff and patients." |
| Pee Dee Family Practice | Phones and installation | "The phone line and phones for patient care area helps prevent delay of patient care/calls." |
| Volunteers in Medicine-Hilton Head | Dragon Medical Practice Edition | "The Dragon transcribers allows our clinicians to securely capture the patients' story more naturally, and efficiently to speed productivity and ensure accuracy." |
| Landrum Family HealthCare | Computer, printer, scanner, conference attendance | "The new office equipment will ensure that we continue to maintain patient charting and update financial information. The funding will help us improve the quality and efficiency of patient care. The conference will help us to learn new information and technology about patient care." |
| Fairfield Medical Associates | Large TV, computers, educational materials | "Using the TV for staff training to be more efficient to take care of the patients." |
| Blythewood Medical Associates | Computers, 24 hr. BP monitors with software, educational materials | "The purchases allows us to be more efficient in capturing data from our EMR. The portable medical devices improve the quality of care given to our patients and to be more efficient in taken care of our patients." |
| LIFE Clinic | Computers | "The computers will be use for providers to document in the EMR EPIC." |
| Community Medical Clinic of Kershaw County | Software | "Evidence based software which assist with clinical decision and e-scribing links the clinic's EMR software to allow for electronic prescriptions." |
| Carolina Medical Associates and Laffitte & Warren Medical Center | Computers, scanners | "We need to update all of our equipment including computers and scanners. The equipment we have are old. The new equipment improves the office efficiency." |
| AnMed Health Cannon Eastside Family Practice and Cannon Liberty Family Practice | Computers | "The impact of the purchase of new computers would be immediate, as the constant interruptions in patient care processes would immediately decrease. Updated Windows and Microsoft platforms will improve efficiency and facilitate options for providing user-friendly educational materials to patients and providers." |
| Williamsburg Regional Health Center | HP laser jet printer, vital sign machine with mobile stand | "The vital signs replaced the old ones which one was non repairable and the other was end of the life. The printer is used for printing confidential information for staff and patient families. The equipment is needed to serve our patients in this county." |
| Coastal Plains Primary Care | Computer, scanners, vital sign machines, digital handrail scale, scanners | "The updated vital sign machines ensure accurate vital sign readings. The scanners and computer assist in maintaining patient records and improving patient flow. The digital handrail scale provide additional support for the elderly patients." |
| McLeod Health Cheraw | Vital sign machines and glucometers | "This grant has been helpful in supporting our efforts to go out in the communities we serve to offer screenings and health education." |
| John A. Martin Primary Healthcare Center | Vital sign machines, thermometers, pulse oximeter machines | "This funding was extremely helpful for a small rural practice like our with limited funds. These portable medical devices are very valuable in streamlining patient care." |
| Lovelace Family Medicine | Lab interface | "Immediate access to lab and testing results is crucial to the successful management of our patient's health." |
| Health Care Partners of SC | Computers | "The purchase of the Intel Core-i7 and Solid State drive will allow us to be much more productive (faster and responsive technology) and efficient in caring for our patients which in turn will improve the patient experience and patient satisfaction." |
| Family Medicine Walhalla | pediatric pulse oximeter, EKG Machine | "All five of our providers are seeing newborn and pediatric patients, along with adult patients. As this time we don not have a newborn/pediatric pulse oximeter. This piece of equipment is vital in our office, helping to prevent the need for the patientto go to the hospital when there is a concern of oxygen levels. The EKG machine works directly with our EPIC software and we are able to share the results immediately when we consult other providers or cardiologist." |
| The HealthCare Place at Bethune | Computers, Vital sign machine | "The computers will be used to increase our speed capabilities. The portable medical devices allows us to be more mobile and make more home visits." |
| St. James-Santee Family Health Center | Desk top computers | "The desktop computers will be utilized by the clinical and administrative departments to improve efficiency and decrease interruption of patient flow and care." |
| Edisto Regional Health Center | Computers and educational materials | "Education materials will be a certification program for RN Care Coordinators to get CDE. The laptops will be for the physicians to use." |
| Sycamore Health Center | Computers, scanners, software, educational materials, telephone system with software and warranty | "Items purchased are to improve our ability to communicate and care for our patients and community." |
| La Clinic Gratis/ The Free Clinic of Community Initiatives | Telehealth equipment | "Telehealth equipment will be used for mobile presentations and sharing of health information in the five counties served by our medical clinic." |
| Little River Medical Center | Cholesterol analyzer, cholesterol test strips, chemistry controls, glucose strip testing, natural bug repellant | "This funding is a great opportunity to provide cholesterol and glucose screenings for agricultural workers in Horry County. Free blood pressure checks, cholesterol and glucose screenings can provide the incentive needed for agricultural workers to seek preventive and primary care." |
