Photo by Logan Regional Medical Center.
Funding Rural Hospitals
Written by Kenzie Dye
For rural hospitals in West Virginia, access to reliable broadband and modern technology is no longer a luxury— it is necessary infrastructure that supports patient safety, continuous care and sustainability. Through the federal Healthcare Connect Fund( HCF) Program, rural hospitals and wellness centers are gaining access to more affordable broadband services and network infrastructure that help bridge the gap between rural and urban health care systems.
The HCF Program plays a crucial role in supporting hospitals that have to meet the same regulatory, cybersecurity and clinical demands as large metropolitan facilities, usually with significantly fewer resources. As cyber threats become more sophisticated and health care delivery increasingly relies on digital systems, rural providers say the HCF Program has become a lifeline.
“ Rural hospitals and health centers face many of the same cyber threats as large metropolitan systems, but they often have fewer resources, older infrastructure and smaller IT teams to defend against them,” says Alexandria Donathan, executive director of the Institute for Cyber Security at Marshall University.“ These facilities provide essential, often sole-source care for entire regions, meaning even a short disruption can have life-threatening consequences for patients who have no alternative provider.”
Donathan says cybersecurity is no longer a back-office concern. Attacks on cyber-physical systems and medical devices connected to the internet can directly disrupt patient care, while ransomware incidents can shut down access to electronic health records, imaging systems and scheduling platforms. For rural hospitals operating with legacy devices, limited bandwidth and aging networks, those risks are exacerbated.
For Roane General Hospital, the HCF Program has helped level the playing field with larger health systems while keeping care affordable for patients.
Photo by Roane General Hospital.
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WEST VIRGINIA EXECUTIVE