Bucktail Medical Center Secures $1 Million in DCED Funding to Sustain Vital Healthcare Services

Funding Ensures Access to Comprehensive Healthcare for Renovo and Western Clinton County

RENOVO, PA, UNITED STATES, January 13, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Bucktail Medical Center has been awarded $1 million by the Pennsylvania Department of Community & Economic Development (DCED) to help ensure continued healthcare access for the Renovo community and western Clinton County.

“I am delighted to share the wonderful news of this much-needed assistance for our community,” said Laura Murnyack, CEO of Bucktail Medical Center. “We are grateful for the support of state Senator Cris Dush (R-Jefferson) and state Representative Stephanie Borowicz (R-Clinton/Union), as well as many local government officials and legislative stakeholders, who worked closely to secure this funding, and to the Pennsylvania DCED for its approval. The $1 million makes it possible for Bucktail Medical Center to continue serving the healthcare needs of the Renovo community and western Clinton County. Our doors remain open, and we offer comprehensive healthcare services for people of all ages, from infants to seniors.”

Bucktail Medical Center’s services include hospital care, a community clinic, imaging, lab, physical therapy, a 24-hour emergency room, acute care, and more.

“Preserving and expanding rural health care is of paramount importance to me,” emphasized Senator Dush. “This funding is just one part of what a team of us have done to increase the income for the hospital, improve operations and provide for the financial stability of Bucktail until these measures have time to take effect. Bucktail Medical Center is critical to people who without it would have to drive an hour each way for emergency care. We could not stand by and let that ‘Golden Hour’ – which emergency medical providers know is critical to saving lives – to be flatlined due to travel rather than treatment.”

“This is a huge win for Clinton County, our healthcare professionals, patients, and community,” said Rep. Borowicz. “I am beyond grateful for Sen. Dush’s efforts — as well as those of the Senate Republicans — for helping see this come to fruition for Bucktail Medical Center.”

Local community members have played a key role in keeping the doors open at Bucktail Medical Center, stepping up to support the facility through practical endeavors such as a three-day volunteer effort to perform maintenance tasks and improvements. Residents also utilized Bucktail’s range of medical, diagnostic, and referral services and its outpatient rehabilitation services, including physical, occupational, and speech therapy, underscoring the ongoing need for this vital care.

National organizations have also come forward to support Bucktail Medical Center. “Rural hospitals like Bucktail Medical Center face unique challenges, with over 50% of U.S. rural hospitals operating in the red,” said Janice Walters, CEO of the national nonprofit Rural Health Redesign Center (RHRC). “At the RHRC, we’re working to ensure access to high-quality care by supporting hospitals, engaging policymakers, and driving innovative, sustainable solutions for rural healthcare.”

“We celebrate this funding award and the support of our community and the RHRC, whose help has been invaluable as we worked together to preserve the essential healthcare services provided by Bucktail Medical Center,” said CEO Murnyack. “Our collective efforts have been driven by the dedication and commitment of our community, and we thank them for their hard work. This funding will open the door for additional support from other sources and help to ensure healthcare services for Renovo and Clinton County now and into the future.”

About Bucktail Medical Center: Bucktail Medical Center is a critical access hospital providing services that include acute care, ambulance, emergency, lab, imaging, physical therapy, and a community clinic. We’re a little hospital with a big heart, committed to bringing you the highest-quality healthcare.

About the RHRC: The Rural Health Redesign Center is dedicated to improving healthcare access and quality in rural communities. Through innovative approaches and committed partnerships, RHRC supports rural hospitals and healthcare facilities that aim to provide the best possible care to their communities.

For more information, visit https://bucktailmedicalcenter.org and https://www.rhrco.org.

Angie Slemok
Rural Health Redesign Center
+1 (717) 207-8131
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