Ashe Memorial Hospital receives North Carolina Healthcare Foundation COVID-19 Grant

JEFFERSON, N.C. -- Ashe Memorial Hospital recently received a $149,839.42 grant through the North Carolina Healthcare Foundation and the COVID-19 Hospital Preparedness Program.

The funding is intended to support the urgent preparedness and response needs of hospitals, health systems and health care workers on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic while also strengthening their ability to protect their patients, staff and communities.

In December 2020, the North Carolina COVID-19 Hospital Preparedness Program awarded $2.8 million in grants to 21 hospitals and health systems, including Ashe Memorial Hospital.

"We appreciate the support provided by the North Carolina Healthcare Foundation," said Brian Yates, chief executive officer for Ashe Memorial Hospital. "These funds will assist Ashe Memorial Hospital by continuing to ensure that we are prepared to meet the increasing needs of our community in this time of crisis."

With the additional funding, Ashe Memorial Hospital plans to further enhance its physical infrastructure as it relates to COVID-19 and continue to utilize the protocols that have been established to ensure that we are able to meet the needs of its patients and the community.

The funding will be used toward the purchase of additional beds and additional COVID-unit specific equipment, including a crash cart, a LUCAS Chest Compression System, a vital signs machine, glucometers, pulse oximeters and iPads for isolated patients to communicate with their families.

As part of its COVID-19 protocols, Ashe Memorial Hospital built out its family medicine practices and rural health clinic to accommodate the rise in COVID testing and also developed a COVID testing clinic. In addition, each of the hospital's clinics and family medicine practices have instituted extra infection control measures, optimized PPE and established a telemedicine platform, among other safety measures.

With the additional COVID-specific supplies, Ashe Memorial Hospital will be able to continue to safely provide patient-centered, high quality health care for the Ashe County community.

The North Carolina Healthcare Foundation received the funding from the US Department of Health and Human Services, Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response under the COVID-19 Hospital Preparedness Program. A 501(c)(3) affiliate of the North Carolina Healthcare Association, the North Carolina Healthcare Foundation supports the Association in the areas of quality improvement, patient safety and rural health care.

About Ashe Memorial Hospital

For nearly 80 years, Ashe Memorial Hospital's dedicated team of board certified physicians, nurses and staff members have provided the highest quality medical care available to the people of Ashe County and the surrounding Blue Ridge Mountains. Ashe Memorial Hospital offers a wide variety of emergency, elective, rehabilitation and preventative health services.

Founded in 1941, Ashe Memorial Hospital is a fully accredited 25 bed critical hospital located in Jefferson, N.C. For more information, please visit ashememorial.org or call 336-846-7101.