Sept. 4, 2001 – Frederiksted Health Care Inc. is the recipient of a $100,000 planning grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services which will benefit medical care at facilities on all three islands, according to executive director Vivian Ebbesen Fludd.
The grant is to establish an Integrated System Development Initiative, which will allow integrated computer interfacing among both hospitals, the East End Medical Corp., Frederiksted Health Care Inc., and the Health Department. The Myrah Keating Clinic on St. John is included through the Roy Lester Schneider Hospital
Delegate Donna Christian Christensen announced the grant Aug. 31.
"I want to thank HHS Secretary [Tommy G.] Thompson and the staff of the Bureau of Primary Health Care for their continued support of health care in the territory," Christensen said in a release.
Frederiksted Health Care is the lead agency, and all facilities will contribute to the required 50 percent match with dollars or staff time. Hiring of a coordinator and implementation will begin in September.
The long-term objective, Fludd said, is to identify the total of uninsured patients and work toward a subsidized insurance plan to provide some coverage for all. It is estimated that about 33 percent of patients are uninsured or underinsured.
