Magee Benevolent Association

COMMUNITY PROJECT FUNDING/CONGRESSIONALLY DIRECTED SPENDING - CONSTRUCTION

DLT CONGRESSIONALLY DIRECTED SPENDING - GRANTS

RURAL HEALTH CARE SERVICES OUTREACH GRANT PROGRAM

RURAL HOSPITAL PROVIDER ASSISTANCE PROGRAM - PROJECT ABSTRACT: RURAL HOSPITAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM: MAGEE BENEVOLENT ASSOCIATION DBA MAGEE GENERAL HOSPITAL MAGEE GENERAL HOSPITAL IS A 44-BED PRIVATE, NONPROFIT RURAL HOSPITAL LOCATED IN MAGEE, MISSISSIPPI, SERVING SIMPSON COUNTY AND SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES IN SOUTH-CENTRAL MISSISSIPPI. THE HOSPITAL PROVIDES ACUTE INPATIENT CARE, EMERGENCY SERVICES, SWING BED SERVICES, SURGICAL SERVICES, LABORATORY, RADIOLOGY, RESPIRATORY THERAPY, REHABILITATION SERVICES, AND OTHER ESSENTIAL HEALTHCARE SERVICES TO A PREDOMINANTLY RURAL POPULATION. MAGEE GENERAL HOSPITAL RECENTLY LOST ITS ONLY ANESTHESIA PROVIDER, PLACING THE HOSPITAL'S SURGICAL PROGRAM AT IMMEDIATE RISK. WITHOUT RELIABLE ANESTHESIA COVERAGE, THE HOSPITAL CANNOT SAFELY PROVIDE INPATIENT OR OUTPATIENT SURGICAL PROCEDURES, FORCING PATIENTS TO TRAVEL OUTSIDE THE LOCAL SERVICE AREA FOR MEDICALLY NECESSARY CARE. THE LOSS OF SURGICAL SERVICES WOULD ALSO NEGATIVELY AFFECT THE HOSPITAL'S FINANCIAL STABILITY AND ITS ABILITY TO MAINTAIN OTHER ESSENTIAL HEALTHCARE SERVICES. FUNDING THROUGH THE HRSA RURAL HOSPITAL PROVIDER ASSISTANCE PROGRAM WILL SUPPORT THE MAINTENANCE OF HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS BY OFFSETTING THE COST OF CONTRACTED CERTIFIED REGISTERED NURSE ANESTHETISTS (CRNAS). THESE CONTRACTED PROVIDERS WILL ENSURE UNINTERRUPTED ANESTHESIA COVERAGE WHILE THE HOSPITAL RECRUITS AND RETAINS A PERMANENT ANESTHESIA PROVIDER. MAINTAINING ANESTHESIA SERVICES WILL ALLOW MAGEE GENERAL HOSPITAL TO CONTINUE PROVIDING INPATIENT AND OUTPATIENT SURGICAL CARE, EMERGENCY PROCEDURES REQUIRING ANESTHESIA SUPPORT, AND OTHER ESSENTIAL HEALTHCARE SERVICES FOR RESIDENTS OF THE RURAL COMMUNITIES IT SERVES. THE PROJECT DIRECTLY ALIGNS WITH THE PURPOSE OF THE RURAL HOSPITAL PROVIDER ASSISTANCE PROGRAM BY MAINTAINING HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS AND PRESERVING ACCESS TO ESSENTIAL HEALTH SERVICES. EXPECTED OUTCOMES INCLUDE UNINTERRUPTED ANESTHESIA COVERAGE THROUGHOUT THE PROJECT PERIOD, CONTINUED AVAILABILITY OF LOCAL SURGICAL SERVICES, REDUCED PATIENT TRAVEL FOR SURGICAL CARE, PRESERVATION OF EMERGENCY AND MEDICALLY NECESSARY PROCEDURES, AND STABILIZATION OF A CRITICAL HOSPITAL SERVICE LINE THAT SUPPORTS LONG-TERM ACCESS TO HEALTHCARE IN THE COMMUNITY.