Van Buren County Hospital among three health care facilities to receive grant

Three Iowa health care facilities received Centers of Excellence grants from the Department of Health and Human Services in an effort to improve rural health care and delivery, Gov. Kim Reynolds announced Thursday.

The grants, totaling $2.2 million, will go to Cass Health, Mahaska Health and Van Buren County Hospital.

The funds will go toward building regional partnerships that offer maternal health care, specialty care in cardiology and oncology, and care for geriatric patients, the governor’s office said.

The centers will offer services in 21 counties. Each facility will receive up to $250,000 a year.

“The Centers of Excellence grants not only support health care providers in improving access to specialty care in rural communities, but sustaining it long term,” Reynolds said. “I’m thrilled that this program will help three more regional health systems address the specific needs of their surrounding communities, and I’m committed to growing legislative support for these efforts.”

The Centers of Excellence program got a $425,000 boost in funding in the budget passed by state lawmakers this year.