Hawai‘i Rural Hospitals to Receive $2.5 Million for COVID-19 Testing, Mitigation

Ten small rural hospitals in Hawai‘i – those with fewer than 50 beds and Critical Access Hospitals – will receive $2,583,760 in new federal funding from the American Rescue Plan. This includes funding in Maui County for Kula Hospital, the Lānaʻi Community Hospital and Molokaʻi General Hospital.

The announcement was made today by US Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) who serves as a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee.

“Families in rural areas across Hawai‘i rely on local hospitals to get the health care they need in their own communities,” said Sen. Schatz. “This new federal funding will support rural hospitals on the frontlines of the pandemic and help more people access COVID-19 testing and other resources close to home to keep themselves, their families, and their communities healthy.”

This funding will help these hospitals expand COVID-19 testing for people living in rural communities and tailor mitigation efforts to meet local needs – such as community education and workforce expenses.

The new federal funding is provided by the US Department of Health and Human Services through the Health Resources and Services Administration’s (HRSA) Small Rural Hospital Improvement Program. Other rural hospitals included in the funding allocation are: Hale Hoʻola Hamakua, Kahuku Medical Center, Kaʻū Hospital, Kauaʻi Veterans Memorial Hospital, Kohala Hospital, Queen’s North Hawai‘i Community Hospital, and the Samuel Mahelona Memorial Hospital.