Sixteen rural hospitals in South Dakota will receive a total of $244,376 in grants for technology projects from laboratory electronic medical records to a medication labeling and bar code system.

"From electronic medical records to telemedicine capabilities, technology is increasingly important in delivering healthcare in both urban and rural settings," said South Dakota Secretary of Health Doneen Hollingsworth, "However, it can be challenging for rural hospitals with limited resources to keep up with these rapid changes. That's why we're pleased to provide these grants to help support technology projects in rural facilities."

The grant funding comes to the department through the Medicare Rural Hospital Flexibility Program. Including the most recent  grants, South Dakota has awarded $3,370,303 to rural hospitals through the program over the last nine years.

To be eligible, hospitals must have received a Medicare certification as a Critical Access Hospital (CAH). Hospitals certified as CAHs receive a higher Medicare reimbursement rate and are eligible for grant funding for projects to enhance information systems and increase staff training and education. South Dakota currently has 38 critical access hospitals, the highest per capita in the nation.

Sustaining essential healthcare services in rural areas is a key objective of the department's Health 2010 Initiative.

For a list of the hospitals, their grant awards and projects, click the next page.