RARITAN TOWNSHIP, N.J. (Hunterdon County) — Hunterdon Medical Center has been awarded $1.23 million in state-administered federal grants to expand health care, nutrition and support services for rural patients, the hospital announced.
The Rural Health Transformation Grants were awarded by the New Jersey Department of Health with federal funding made available through the One Big Beautiful Bill Act and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
The funding will support two projects through Oct. 30: the Hunterdon Heartland Rural Health Initiative: Technology Innovation & Preventive Programming and Hunterdon Healthy Harvest & Wellness.
According to Hunterdon Medical Center, the projects are designed to improve access to medical care, nutrition and other services for high-risk, uninsured and underinsured rural patients.
The funding will support a new care transitions team consisting of a coordinator, nurse and five community health workers. The team will assess patients’ needs, connect them with community resources, assist with medication access and help patients transition home following hospital stays.
Hunterdon Medical Center will also work with local nonprofit organizations. The hospital said goHunterdon will help provide transportation assistance, while America’s Grow-A-Row will offer online cooking and healthy eating classes.
“We are incredibly grateful to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the New Jersey Department of Health for this funding,” said Kim Blanda, RN, Project Director for the community support and chronic disease components. “By embedding Community Health Workers directly into our patient workflows and removing barriers to medication, nutrition, and transportation, these grants allow us to seamlessly support our most vulnerable rural neighbors, bridging the gap between hospital care and recovery at home.”
Virtual nursing program planned
The funding will also be used to launch a virtual nursing program, beginning with a pilot on the hospital’s 5 South unit.
Dedicated devices will be installed in patient rooms, with portable carts planned for expansion to other units. Virtual registered nurses will assist with admissions, patient education and discharge coordination.
The hospital said the approach is intended to shift some time-intensive responsibilities away from bedside nurses, allowing them to spend more time providing hands-on care.
The technology will also allow family members who cannot be at the hospital to participate remotely in patient education and discharge sessions.
“This grant marks a major technological milestone for our clinical teams,” added Susan Jelvani, MSN, Project Director for the virtual nursing component. “Implementing an innovative Virtual Nursing model allows us to significantly strengthen patient education and self-management by integrating virtual care into transition workflows. This is vital for patients, their families, and our rural communities, which is the exact focus of this project’s financing. Critically, families who cannot be present at the hospital can now join virtually for education and discharge instructions, ensuring a successful and supported transition home, leading to improved patient outcomes.”
Grant to support food access, disease prevention
Another portion of the funding will focus on nutrition and chronic disease prevention.
Hunterdon Medical Center plans to partner with the Hunterdon Community Farmers Market, New Roots Inc. and Cabbage Throw Farm to establish a sliding-scale farm share program based on the Fresh Stop model.
The program is intended to make locally grown produce available to families at different income levels.
The initiative will combine food access with individualized nutrition education, chronic disease screenings, health education and virtual physical fitness classes, according to the hospital.
Hospital officials said the programs are intended to address barriers that can affect health in rural communities, including access to transportation, nutritious food, medication and follow-up care.
