Thompson Announces $525,170 Grant to Keystone Rural Health Consortia

WASHINGTON, D.C.—U.S. Representative Glenn `GT’ Thompson, R-Howard, today announced the Department of Health and Human Services has awarded $525,170 to Keystone Rural Health Consortia for renovation of the Cameron County Health Care Center.

“I welcome this bricks and mortar project coming to the 5th Congressional District,” said Thompson. “I understand most of the contracting will be done right in Emporium, which will be great for employment in the area. This facility hasn’t been renovated in more than 30 years and the changes will be a significant improvement.”

Ron Hammersley, chief executive officer of Keystone, explained they will be renovating the front half of the 7,000 square foot Cameron County Health Center. It will include a new heating and air conditioning system, modernized rooms, a new state-of-the-art X-Ray room and system, and vinyl siding on the outside of the structure.

“Some $300,000 of the funds will go to construction and the remainder will be used to set up electronic medical records in all of the sites for the Keystone Consortia,” said Hamersley. “Once the renovation is complete we will have a cleaner, more modern, more efficient site and can deliver better health care for all. The new electronics record system will save us money and time and contribute to efficiency of the care we deliver.”

The grant is made under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 through the Health Resources and Services Administration of the federal Department of Health and Human Services.