Darrell Parke of Alliance Management Group reported to the Eureka Springs Hospital Commission Tuesday May 26 that considerable funding support has been received after applying for four grants.
The first, and largest, was received May 6 for $2,940,301 from the US Department of Health and Human Services for public health and social services emergency funding.
The rural “relief fund” as it is dubbed under Public Law 116-139, was provided to Eureka Springs Hospital to prevent, prepare for, and respond to coronavirus. It will also serve as reimbursement to the hospital for health care related expenses or lost revenues attributed from the pandemic.
These lost revenues that the grant is referring constitute a “tremendous loss – between seventy and eighty percent” of the hospital’s revenue, Parke said. He described that since the onset of the pandemic there is a public fear of going to the hospital, and this fear has resulted in significantly fewer people seeking hospital healthcare services as they are opting to stay home.
In response, Parke said he does not want to see people waiting at home if they have health needs, but instead wants the public to know the hospital is here for them. He said the hospital is fully staffed and prepared to provide public care.
Throughout the pandemic Parke noted, “We never shut our doors, only limited access.” Limited access still exists and probably will for some time.
Answering a list of questions and having your temperature scanned is mandatory before admittance to the building.
Another contributing factor to the hospital’s revenue loss is the result of fewer people on the roads, lowering traffic-related accidents and critical care needs.
The local health clinic operated by Washington Regional has reduced face-to-face patient appointments and offers virtual appointments which have cut back on hospital service referrals.
Parke said the three other grants received are $146,804 from the US Health and Human Services; $7,148 from the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response; and $1,000 from the NW Arkansas Giving Tree Endowment.