WASHINGTON, D.C. — Boone Memorial Health’s project to renovate the former Magic Mart in Danville into a health and wellness center has received another shot in the arm, financially speaking.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is directing $3 million in funding to Boone Memorial Hospital, Inc.
In a news release issued Friday, Boone Memorial Health CEO Virgil Underwood gave credit for the funding to US Sens. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., and US Rep. Carol Miller, R-W.Va.
“...The Boone Memorial Health and Wellness Center will bring the same level of experience, service, and compassion patients have come to expect from BMH,” Underwood said in the release. “Our partnerships with federal, state, and local governments continue to allow Boone Memorial Health to improve health equity by breaking down barriers to health care access while working to eliminate preventable health disparities. We could not be more grateful to our partners at USDA Rural Development for this significant financing, and to Congresswoman Carol Miller, Senator Joe Manchin, and Senator Shelley Moore Capito for securing $3 million in Congressionally Directed Spending. Their financial support has truly made this project possible for the residents of Southern West Virginia.”
The funding will be used to renovate the 18,230 square feet of the former department store into a rural health center, adding a drive-through clinic, pharmacy and other community needs. The project aims to provide specialty and primary care, as well as to reduce preventable hospital stays.
“I am thrilled to see the resources I advocated for head to Boone Memorial Hospital to help them deliver better and more efficient care to West Virginians. Helping our rural residents get access to quality health care is crucial and the new drive-through options will assist elderly patients and those with mobility issues seek treatment without the hassle,” Capito, who is a ranking member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies, said in a news release. “These new additions will also open up more hospital space for patients who need beds. I am proud to have secured this funding through my role on the Labor-HHS Appropriations Subcommittee and I am committed to delivering resources that continue to support our rural health care providers.”
Miller’s press release stated that the Danville health and wellness center will provide health care services to over 32,200 rural residents across Lincoln, Boone, Logan, and Kanawha counties.
“What an exciting day it is for Boone Memorial Hospital and the residents of Boone County,” Miller said in the release. “I am pleased to have secured $3 million in funding for the improvement of Boone Memorial Health and Wellness Center. This funding will be invested in the establishment of a health clinic that will include a permanent drive-thru facility, a pharmacy, fitness center, and a community health education center. The Boone Memorial Health and Wellness Center will continue to positively impact our community and prioritize the wellbeing of patients in rural areas of West Virginia.”
In May, the US Department of Agriculture announced it would invest $14,361,000 in BMH’s new clinic.