WELLSVILLE, NY (February 7, 2020) – Jones Memorial Hospital
announced today that the hospital has been awarded a NYS Healthcare Facility
Transformation Grant in the amount of $16,856,625.00. These grant funds are
designated to be used for four projects at the hospital, including three
targeting capital improvement.
“We are absolutely thrilled to be approved for this grant
funding,” said Eva Benedict, CEO at Jones. “These projects reflect our
commitment to continue to care for this community as we have for nearly 100
years.” The capital improvement projects include adding a third floor to the
1993 addition for desperately needed physician offices and the services to
support those offices, expanding and modernizing the surgical services suite,
and creating a permanent MRI suite with state-of-the-art equipment. In addition,
the grant will fund an initiative to integrate behavioral health and primary
care.
“This is a major step forward in the future of healthcare
services in our community,’ said Rich Ewell, Chairman of the Jones Memorial
Board of Directors. “These grants are available only to institutions that have
demonstrated a true commitment to providing top quality health care and that
have a plan to succeed operationally and financially in the future. Over the
past several years, a massive amount of effort has gone into applying for and
advocating for this award. The Board extends its sincere thanks to Jones CEO
Eva Benedict, JMH Chief Financial Officer Jim Helms, and other Jones Memorial
directors who have been a part of the process. We also have to thank UR Medicine’s
Associate Vice President of Business Development Michele Lawrence and Steve
Goldstein, president/CEO of Highland and Strong Memorial, and other University
of Rochester personnel who have been a part of the effort to secure this
grant.“
“The goal of UR Medicine is to provide high-quality health
care close to home for families across upstate New York, including communities
in and around Allegany County,” said Steven I. Goldstein, president and CEO of
Strong Memorial and Highland hospitals in Rochester, and senior vice president
of the University of Rochester Medical Center. “Gov. Cuomo and New York State
should be applauded for making an investment that enables Jones Memorial to
expand and modernize as part of the UR Medicine system.”
The grant application was submitted nearly 2 years ago. “While we have conceptual drawings for these
capital projects, we will be revisiting those plans,” added Mrs. Benedict. “To
assure that the new construction meets the needs of patients and staff, we will
be working closely with JMH directors and staff as well as the medical
providers who will be working in the new spaces.”
The Transformation Grant program is intended to help
facilities re-design and “transform” their organization to accommodate the
changing healthcare environment by funding capital improvements that support
revenue streams that stabilize and strengthen the financial stability of the
organization.
“This is an exciting time for Jones Memorial Hospital,” she
added. “We are so grateful to the NYS Department of Health and Governor Cuomo
for the grant award.”
