Small rural Oregon hospitals have help on the way, thanks to $50 million in grant funding coming from Business Oregon.
Hospitals in Morrow, Umatilla, and Wasco counties will receive just under $8 million dollars total, with Good Shepherd Medical Center in Hermiston receiving just over $6.1 million. Twenty total rural hospitals are receiving awards that will help keep nurses and doctors employed amid increased costs and dropping revenue caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Oregon State Rep. Greg Smith (R-Heppner) said the grant money is a significant win for the three counties.
“We have worked hard to ensure that these dollars are being spent the way that they were intended,” he said. “I was also very pleased to see that Good Shepherd in Hermiston received the second largest award in the state. These hospitals are a crucial part of rural Oregon and I am proud to see this money coming back home.”
These grants can be used to cover necessary expenditures incurred due to the COVID-19 public health emergency from March 1 through Dec. 30, 2020. This includes payroll, Personal Protective Equipment, and other equipment needs. The grants are available to Type A and B hospitals in Oregon.
