Community project funding/congressionally directed spending - construction - deborah heart and lung center's purpose is to acquire a second computed tomography (CT) scan machine to benefit the…

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, through its Congressional Directives program (CFDA 93.493), awarded a $1,500,000 Project Grant to Deborah Heart & Lung Center to acquire a second computed tomography (CT) scan machine. This additional CT scanner will benefit the medically underserved populations in Burlington, Monmouth, and Ocean Counties, New Jersey, by improving diagnostic capabilities, reducing wait times, and enhancing continuity of care, particularly for emergency cases such as stroke, internal injuries, and cardiac conditions. Deborah Heart & Lung Center is a unique non-profit hospital that provides comprehensive specialty medical services without charging patients any fees, co-pays, or deductibles, serving a designated Medically Underserved Area (MUA) and Medically Underserved Population (MUP).

Community project funding/congressionally directed spending - construction - deborah heart and lung center's purpose is to acquire a second computed tomography (CT) scan machine to benefit the people in our primary service area, which includes burlington, monmouth, and ocean counties. Our objective is to improve the quality of life for our patients and to save lives. Deborah needs a second high-resolution CT scan machine to complement its current scanner. This second CT scan machine will allow deborah to expand its services within our service area, including many medically underserved people, while also serving as a critical backup to deborah's current CT scan machine. Having a second CT scan machine is important to ensuring CT scan capability is available around the clock for definitive diagnosis of emergencies such as stoke, traumatic intra/extra cranial bleeding, venous thromboembolism, internal injuries, cardiac thrombus (blood clot in the heart), and aortic aneurysms. Early, accurate imaging of someone with any of these conditions is often lifesaving. Deborah is located in a medically underserved area (MUA), with a medically underserved population (MUP), as defined and designated by the health resources and services administration (hrsa). MUA's are geographic areas with a lack of access to primary care and other healthcare services. Mups are specific sub-groups of people living in a defined geographic area with a shortage of primary care and other needed health services. Mups face economic, cultural, and/or linguistic barriers to healthcare. Both burlington and ocean counties have hrsa designated, medically underserved areas, with medically underserved populations which are served by deborah. Deborah heart and lung center has stood apart from all other hospitals in the united states. Unlike other hospitals, our unique philanthropic mission bridges the GAP between underserved populations and the vital care they deserve, ensuring comprehensive specialty medical services without financial barriers. At deborah, there are no CO-pays, no deductibles, and no balance bills. In fact, deborah is the only hospital in the united states that treats both adults and children yet has never rendered a bill to a patient. Benefits of an additional CT scan machine improved diagnostic capabilities - CT scans provide critical insights for diagnosing heart and lung conditions, allowing for earlier intervention and better patient outcomes. Reduced wait times - the addition of a CT scan machine would minimize service interruptions for maintenance and repairs, ensuring timely access to this critical imaging technology. Enhanced continuity of care - seamless access to CT scans within deborah's facility would streamline the diagnostic process for veterans transitioning from military to civilian healthcare and critical patients who need advanced imaging immediately for a diagnosis.