U.S. Department of Agriculture awarded a $234,000 grant to CentraCare to help the St. Cloud, Minn.-based health system establish telemedicine services in rural areas of the state, according to a Dec. 3 news release.
The grant is part of USDA's $42.5 million in funding allocated for more than 100 telemedicine and distance learning projects across the country.
CentraCare will use the grant to provide video equipment at 10 facilities in eight Minnesota counties. As a result of the project, the state will add an additional 73 individual patient sites and serve approximately 2,000 more Minnesota residents.
"This grant will broaden the range of critical medical services accessible in rural areas specifically connecting facilities across eight counties," said Rep. Collin Peterson, D-Minn., according to the news release. "Removing barriers to access is key to improving health conditions for individuals and families in these communities."