WASHINGTON D.C. (ABC4) – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is investing $50 million in combined funds into healthcare and infrastructure projects to help Moab and surrounding communities.
“Rural Americans need emergency response, hospitals and medical facilities, and USDA’s loans and grants invest in critical infrastructure to make that possible,” Secretary for Rural Development Xochitl Torres Small said in a statement.
Moab Regional Hospital will use money from that investment to improve access to services, enhanced privacy, and patient flow. Other improvements to the hospital include adding 28,540 square feet to the facility which will enlarge the medical office building, clinic, and surgery center.
Emergency and urgent care rooms will also be enlarged to current minimum size standards by adding two more rooms — a bereavement space and a new ambulance drop-off. The surgical area will also be upgraded to help with patient prep and recovery.
“The hospital upgrades will provide 9,225 rural residents with quality healthcare and create job opportunities for Moab’s evolving population,” said the USDA. “Investing in this hospital expansion enables a higher standard of care and hope for better outcomes for patients for many years into the future.”