USDA Rural Development Under Secretary Dr. Basil Gooden and New Jersey State Director Jane Asselta joined Inspira Health President and CEO Amy Mansue on June 24 to formally announce a $1 million health care grant for state-of-the-art medical equipment at Inspira Medical Center Mannington.
“Now more than ever, people in rural and Tribal communities across this nation need support accessing high-quality, reliable health care services,” Gooden said.
The project was funded through a health care grant within the USDA’s Community Programs and focuses on providing essential equipment and services for the historically underserved, rural populations in the South Jersey area. The project also supports a larger revitalization of the Inspira Medical Center Mannington.
“We are grateful to the USDA for this recognition of need and the Inspira team for all the work involved in bringing this effort to fruition,” said Mansue, who was joined by the health system’s senior leadership, elected officials, and stakeholders during the announcement. “These funds were used to immediately purchase critically important, state-of-the-art medical equipment, giving our outstanding staff the tools they need to provide an optimal patient experience.”
The equipment purchased ranged from cardiac/pulmonary equipment to ventilators, blood pressure monitors, fetal monitors, defibrillators, wheelchairs and stretchers, to EEG machines, dopplers, exercise equipment for cardiac rehab, hi-flow machines and X-ray equipment.
According to the annual County Health Rankings Report, Salem County ranked last in the state for Health Outcomes, and second to last for Health Factors, a trend that’s held consistent for several years. Amidst the poor ranking, Salem County has achieved some modest improvements with a reported decline in adult smoking and an increase in senior citizens obtaining healthcare.
Over the past four years, Rural Development has invested more than $41 million into roughly 150 projects in Salem County. These projects include the construction of community facilities, housing assistance, business grants and more.
