OIA Announces $1.8 million in Funding to St. Croix Hospital

Date: July 3, 2012
For more information please contact:
Rebecca Zepeda (202) 208-2534
Rebecca_Zepeda@ios.doi.gov

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Department of the Interior’s Assistant Secretary for Insular Areas, Tony Babauta, has awarded $1.8 million in grant funding to support the Governor Juan F. Luis Hospital and Medical Center (JFLH) on the island of St. Croix, in the US Virgin Islands. The funding will be used to implement IT system improvements and software and train staff on the proper use of the system.

“I am pleased to be assisting the JFLH in their efforts to revamp their IT infrastructure to integrate all of the hospital departments in a manner that increases patient quality care and delivery of services. System improvements will go a long way in enhancing the delivery of essential primary and specialty healthcare services the JFLH provides to St. Croix community residents,” said Babauta. “I am grateful to Delegate Christensen for the critical role she has played in advocating for the Virgin Islands and for her steadfast voice in Congress ensuring essential programs are preserved and protected.”

During Babauta’s last visit to the Virgin Islands, Delegate Christensen coordinated a meeting with the various healthcare leaders and stakeholders from which he took away a deeper understanding of the complex and critical challenges the hospitals, the non for profit health clinics, and the Department of Health are struggling to overcome.

“My office does not have the resources to address all of the issues that were presented,” Babauta said, ”but we have engaged our relevant federal partners and local stakeholders in addressing how to coordinate our priorities so that we can leverage our resources to better assist the Virgin Islands.”

The software improvements will allow the JFLH to fully customize and implement a new technological system that improves regulatory compliance and assists in better tracking patient Electronic health records as required by the Affordable Healthcare Act.

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