Grinnell Awarded Power of Connection Community Grant
December 18, 2023 | ITC Midwest
GRINNELL, Iowa (Dec.18, 2023) – An initiative to enhance access to oncology and hematology services through UnityPoint Health – Grinnell Regional Medical Center’s Rural Community Based Oncology Project has received a $5,000 Power of Connection grant jointly administered by ITC Midwest and the Iowa Rural Development Council.
Grinnell Regional Medical Center’s (GRMC) Rural Community Based Oncology Project currently facilitates a partnership with Mission Cancer + Blood. The existing agreement involves specialists providing their services one day per week at GRMC. Through this initiative, the clinic will be expanded and relocated to accommodate more providers offering oncology and hematology services resulting in services being available more than once weekly.
“For patients whose next closest option for oncology care is a significant drive, increased access to care close to home helps combat transportation barriers and other social
determinants of health that make it difficult to access specialized care,” said UnityPoint Health – Grinnell Business Development Strategist Alex Smolik. “Within two years of the expansion of the clinic, we anticipate the ability to serve nearly three times the number of patients currently served, which totals an estimated 3,000 clinic patients and 2,700 infusion patients.”
The Power of Connection Community Grant Program will support the architectural and design development process for the new clinic. Additional funding supporting clinic construction and equipment needs have been awarded through two grant programs with Mission Cancer assisting in funding the remaining clinic construction costs.
“Health care in rural areas is crucial and often determines the economic strength of the community,” said ITC Midwest Local Government and Community Affairs Regional Manager Troy Weary. “We are pleased to assist in the expansion of this clinic to align with the needs of the community and connect patients to local, specialized care.”
About the Power of Connection Program
The Power of Connection community grant program is an initiative of ITC Midwest and the Iowa Rural Development Council (IRDC). This innovative economic development program is designed to pair rural communities seeking assistance with IRDC resource teams. Those teams drive both community conversations and solution development for problems or projects.
Communities eligible for the Power of Connection program must have populations of under 10,000 and be outside of a metropolitan area. Power of Connection grant dollars cannot be used for construction, real estate or equipment.
About ITC Midwest
ITC Midwest LLC is a subsidiary of ITC HOLDINGS CORP., the largest independent electricity transmission company in the U.S. ITC Midwest operates more than 6,600 circuit miles of transmission lines in Iowa, Minnesota, Illinois and Missouri, and holds utility status in Wisconsin. ITC Midwest is headquartered in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and maintains regional operating facilities in Dubuque, Iowa City and Perry, Iowa; and Albert Lea and Lakefield, Minnesota. For further information visit WWW.ITC-HOLDINGS.COM. ITC is a subsidiary of Fortis Inc., a leader in the North American regulated electric and gas utility industry. For further information visit WWW.FORTISINC.COM.
About UnityPoint Health – Grinnell
UnityPoint Health® – Grinnell is a nonprofit and non-tax supported rural health care provider serving more than 40,000 residents in a six-county rural area of east central Iowa. UnityPoint Health – Grinnell includes Grinnell Regional Medical Center -a 49-bed hospital- as well as the Manatt Walk-In Clinic, Grinnell Family Practice, Montezuma Medical Clinic, Public Health, UnityPoint at Home and UnityPoint Hospice. It is comprised of 50 physicians and allied health care professionals who provide an array of services from birth to end-of-life. Specialties include bariatric surgery; emergency medicine; family medicine; general surgery; internal medicine; obstetrics/gynecology; orthopedics; otolaryngology; pain management; pathology; podiatry; radiology; and geriatric medicine. Visiting specialists in multiple concentrations provide additional specialty care for area residents. For more information, visit UNITYPOINT.ORG/GRINNELL.
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Media Contacts:
Bill Menner, Executive Director, Iowa Rural Development Council
DIRECTOR@IOWARDC.ORG or 641-990-4757
Darcy Moulin, Senior Communications Specialist, ITC Midwest
DMOULIN@ITCTRANSCO.COM or 319-297-6837