CORDELE ­— Providing quality healthcare has never been accomplished by one person alone.  It’s probably one of the greatest examples of team work ever.  As part of the Rural Hospital Stabilization Pilot, Crisp Regional Hospital is working jointly with several healthcare entities in an around the area to ensure that patients are being treated in the most appropriate setting for their healthcare needs.
Crisp Regional is proud to be one of four hospitals to receive $750,000 in grant funding.  The grant is designed to relieve cost pressures on emergency departments and ensure that the best, most efficient treatment is received by patients.  The program aims to increase utilization of new and existing technology and infrastructure in smaller critical access hospitals, Wi-Fi and telemedicine equipped ambulances, telemedicine equipped school clinics, federally qualified healthcare centers and local physicians.
“We are honored to have been chosen to participate in this pilot,” stated Crisp Regional CEO Steve Gautney.  “We, like most rural hospitals, battle similar issues including over utilization of the emergency department as a primary care access point.  We are fortunate to be able to implement several programs that will address this issue and are excited to partner with other healthcare entities in providing access to healthcare for these patients.”
Through the grant Crisp Regional Hospital has implemented five projects.  One of these projects is Chest Pain Center Designation.   They have purchased 4 LifePak 15 EKG units for Crisp County EMS and 2 for Dooly County EMS.  These units will give EMS the capability of taking 15 views of the heart when performing an EKG in the field.  These are an upgrade from the LifePak 12 units they are currently using.  This investment will standardize equipment and training to the most current technology.  Wilcox County, also in the CRH service area, has been equipped with the LifePak 15s since May of 2014.  CRH purchased these for Wilcox County EMS through a previous grant.  In addition, CRH has purchased a LifeNet receiving station to gain medical interpretation of these EKGs.  Up until now Crisp County EMS has depended upon Phoebe Putney in Albany to interpret these as they have not had such capability.  This equipment is a comprehensive web-based network that seamlessly mobilizes data to increase efficiency across the care continuum and deliver critical information to help care teams reduce time to treatment.
“It’s important to us that residents in all of the areas we serve have access to the same level of technology when possible,” said Gautney.  “The purchase of this equipment not only provides us with the latest technology, but lays groundwork for our future goal of receiving Chest Pain Center designation.  The receiving station should also help reduce outmigration of patients to other hospitals.”
Other projects being implemented by CRH through the hospital stabilization grant include a Community Paramedicine Program aimed at reducing over-utilization of the Emergency Department by non-emergent patients; the reduction of readmissions from nursing home to hospital; providing 24/7 emergency neurology services in the Emergency Department and ICU via telemedicine to improve access to more specialized care for stroke patients; and a school based healthcare clinic staffed with a Nurse Practitioner at Crisp County Primary School.
Crisp Regional Health Services is a health care system comprised of Crisp Regional Hospital, Crisp Regional Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, Cordele Health and Rehab, Crisp Regional Dialysis Center, Blackshear Retirement Villas, Crisp Regional Convenient Care, Warwick Healthcare Clinic, CareSouth Homecare Professionals, Reflections Hospice of Crisp Regional, The Wound Center at Crisp Regional Hospital, The Vein Center at Crisp Regional Hospital and Crisp County EMS.  For more information contact Laura Stephens, Director of Community Relations at 229-276-3212.