At Wednesday’s Board of Director’s meeting, April 25, Oak Valley Hospital CEO John McCormick announced that the State of California awarded the hospital a $350,000 grant.

The money, awarded through the Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Surgical Care Improvement Project, is already earmarked for updating the hospital’s intensive care unit or ICU.

“This is huge because we really need this equipment,” said David Rodrigues, Director of Clinics and Business Development.

McCormick informed the board that five new ICU monitors at a total cost of $160,000 are designed to examine patient vital signs. They are being funded by the grant to replace current ones in use that are beyond their technological lifespan. The new technology that comes with the devices allows for more advanced critical patient monitoring and improved nurse and physician satisfaction.

Other equipment to be furnished by the grant includes 20 new intravenous programmable “smart pumps” required by Joint Commission standards at a total cost of $80,000. The pumps will now be standardized throughout the entire facility reducing the potential for medication errors and increasing patient safety.

The hospital will also purchase five new ICU beds for approximately $100,000. There are currently only four ICU beds at Oak Valley and with the new beds comes new technology that can increase patient comfort and care.

“Improving our patient care equipment is something to strive for,” said McCormick. “Oak Valley Hospital will continue to improve our care to the community and strive to keep up to date in healthcare changes.”

Rodrigues said that when the hospital was awarded a grant last year it used the money toward its electronic healthcare system.

During its finance committee report, Board Member Jim Teter and McCormick reported that Oak Valley Hospital is operating “in the black” during the first quarter report with over $420,000 in profit since the beginning of the year.