MRH&C Awarded $2.88 Million to Transform Rural Healthcare Access

Posted 10/06/26 (Tue)

MRH&C Awarded $2.88 Million to Transform Rural Healthcare Access

MOBRIDGE, S.D. - Mobridge Regional Hospital & Clinics (MRH&C) has been approved for nearly $2.88 million through two South Dakota Rural Health Transformation programs. The funding will support projects designed to expand healthcare access and strengthen the long-term sustainability of rural healthcare in South Dakota.

The largest award, approximately $2.705 million through South Dakota's Rural Strong program, will fund investments identified through MRH&C's 2025 Community Health Needs Assessment and strategic planning process. MRH&C built its proposal around needs identified by area residents, including better access to consistent local and specialty care, transportation and flexible care options closer to home, chronic disease prevention and management, and expanded behavioral health services.

The announcement comes less than a month after MRH&C celebrated the completion of its major hospital construction and renovation project. Over the last five years, support from area communities through the Healthy Futures Capital Campaign, along with USDA and other partners, helped MRH&C add approximately 33,000 square feet of new space and renovate another 30,000 square feet of clinical space.

While Rural Health Transformation funding did not fund the construction project, that community-supported investment created the space, infrastructure, and capacity MRH&C needed to put these new funds to work right away, expanding healthcare services throughout the region.

The result is an opportunity to build upon what the community has already helped create-using Rural Health Transformation funding to add equipment, workforce, services and systems that will allow MRH&C to expand access throughout the region.

"With this program, MRH&C will be able to do in the next five years what would've taken us 50 years to accomplish," said John Ayoub, CEO of Mobridge Regional Hospital & Clinics.

Rural Strong Investment Expands Regional Healthcare Capacity

MRH&C's approved $2.705 million Rural Strong award includes more than $1.5 million in equipment, along with investments to expand local services, add healthcare professionals, develop the rural healthcare workforce, improve patient access and add new capabilities to MRH&C's recently expanded facilities.

Among the most visible investments will be a new 3D mammography system and a new colonoscopy/endoscopy tower, which will increase MRH&C's capacity to perform colonoscopies and other procedures locally. Funding will also support additional surgical equipment, portable ultrasound equipment, and expanded X-ray capacity in Selby.

Transportation-one of the barriers to healthcare identified throughout MRH&C's rural service area-is another focus of the award. Funding will purchase a vehicle for a Community Transportation Program designed to help patients get to and from healthcare appointments and reduce transportation-related barriers to preventive, specialty, and follow-up care.

The award will also fund five full-time equivalents (FTEs), including a Specialty Clinic Nurse, Specialty Clinic Community Health Worker, OB Nurse Navigator, Radiology Assistant, and Adjunct Faculty RN. The Adjunct Faculty RN will support MRH&C's efforts to develop partnerships with educational institutions and expand opportunities for healthcare students to complete clinical education and training locally.

Developing these local workforce pathways is part of MRH&C's long-term strategy to strengthen recruitment and retention and reduce dependence on outside and contract staffing.

Additional Rural Strong investments include a new wireless call system at Prairie Sunset Village, improvements to MRH&C's helicopter landing area, lead lining necessary for expanded X-ray services in Selby, and installation of an elevator that will allow the hospital to better utilize existing space.

The award also includes funding for architectural plans supporting potential future facility improvements, along with investments in staff education, healthcare planning, recruitment and onboarding, pharmacy systems, credentialing, and other operational improvements intended to strengthen the organization for the future.

MRH&C will contribute staff time and organizational resources throughout implementation as an in-kind investment in bringing the projects to completion.

Chronic Disease Award Strengthens Diabetes Care

A separate $175,000 Chronic Disease Management award will help MRH&C strengthen diabetes education, prevention, and management services throughout the region.

A central component of the initiative will be expanding diabetes education and developing additional local expertise through an RN nurse educator. Funding will also support remote patient monitoring equipment, including blood pressure cuffs and glucose-monitoring supplies, patient education and outreach, and development of improved clinical workflows.

The investment responds to an important health need in the region, particularly among the American Indian populations served by MRH&C, where diabetes disproportionately affects patients and families. The program is intended to give rural patients greater access to diabetes education, monitoring and support closer to home while building services that can be sustained beyond the initial grant period.

Building on the Community's Investment

Both Rural Health Transformation awards were developed with long-term sustainability in mind. The funding provides an opportunity to make significant investments in equipment, workforce, expanded services, and program development, while MRH&C will contribute staff time and organizational resources necessary to put those investments into practice.

The funded projects are designed to strengthen services and create benefits that continue beyond the grant period. MRH&C has identified an implementation team to oversee the projects and will continue to pursue Rural Health Transformation opportunities that align with the healthcare needs of the region.

MRH&C is grateful for the opportunities made possible through the Rural Health Transformation Program and for the continued support of the communities and partners that have helped build a strong foundation for rural healthcare in our region. These investments will allow MRH&C to build upon that foundation, grow services and continue improving the care available to the rural communities we are proud to serve.

Federal Funding Disclosure

This press release is supported by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of the Rural Health Transformation Program, a financial assistance award totaling $189,477,607.26, with 100% funded by CMS/HHS. The contents do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement by, CMS/HHS or the U.S. Government.