PUTNAM, CONN. (August 16, 2022) – Day Kimball Healthcare (DKH) received a $580,400 grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to upgrade the facility’s telemedicine network infrastructure through the Emergency Rural Health Care Grants Program. This program made possible by the American Rescue Plan Act under the leadership of President Biden, Vice President Harris, and Agriculture Secretary Vilsack, is intended to expand critical services in 143 rural health care originations. $32 million of the total $74 million investments are earmarked for 67 rural health care organizations to help more than 1 million people living in socially vulnerable communities. 

DKH will use the funds to upgrade telemedicine services which offer cost savings to the hospital, medical practices, and patients by reducing no-show appointments and increasing provider productivity. It also allows DKH to modernize capabilities and ensure that residents of Northeast Connecticut continue to have clear, seamless, and stable access to their physicians and providers. The total investment for this project is $1,055,342, with the remainder being contributed by DKH.

“Day Kimball Hospital plays an absolutely vital role in the safety and security of Connecticut’s rural communities and this investment in the telemedicine network is critical to increasing patient access to the service the hospital provides,” said Scott Soares, director USDA Rural Development Southern New England. “By way of increasing access to healthcare, telehealth is an important opportunity for our rural neighbors as well as an important tool that allows healthcare providers to extend smart innovative care to the communities they serve.”

“On behalf of Day Kimball Healthcare, we would like to extend our sincerest thanks to Congressman Joe Courtney and his staff, as well as the USDA, for their support in advancing our information technology infrastructure and telehealth platforms,” said Kyle Kramer, Chief Executive Officer, Day Kimball Healthcare. “The COVID-19 pandemic has taught us that there is more that we can do to engage with our patients through virtual care platforms and telemedicine, and this funding will allow us to modernize our capabilities and ensure that the residents of Northeastern Connecticut continue to have clear, seamless, and stable access to their physicians and providers,” Kramer said.

Rep. Courtney voted to pass the American Rescue Plan Act in 2021 to provide immediate relief to workers, and families in eastern Connecticut, to keep essential services and important economic development projects online through the recovery, and to provide support to our communities as global supply chains and economies get back to full speed. 

“There’s really a big need out there for reliable telehealth services, especially in rural areas like Windham County, and particularly while there’s such high demand nationwide for things like mental health services,” said Rep. Joe Courtney. “We’ve got a serious need for this kind of support in eastern Connecticut—rural health centers like Day Kimball provide a critically essential service for many of our Quiet Corner communities, but they and our towns often simply don’t have the resources coming out of COVID to make these sorts of major investments, which are essential to the future of our public health, our quality of life, the strength of our workforce, and more. That’s exactly why we passed the American Rescue Plan, so that these sorts of critical investments aren’t delayed, and so that we can keep doing the work today to prepare our region for success tomorrow and in the future. It’s great to see this federal support coming home to improve health care for people throughout Windham County.” 

PHOTO CAPTION: State Director, USDA-RD Scott Soares (center right) and Congressman Joe Courtney (right) present $580,400 grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to Day Kimball Healthcare CEO, Kyle Kramer (center left) and Putnam Mayor, Barney Seney (left), on Monday, August 15 at Day Kimball Hospital.