Neosho Memorial Regional Medical Center, Chanute, Kansas is a 97-bed county-owned rural hospital located in southeast Kansas and over 100 miles away from the nearest metropolitan area. NMRMC' Rural Internet Connection Grant proposes to establish a local area network within the facility to give high-speed Internet access to health care clinicians and support staff. NMRMC's goals are four fold: 1. To install hardware, software and I 00 MG Bit wiring to grant Internet access to the hospital's seven nursing areas, medical staff library, ancillary departments and business offices. 2. To establish a secure Internet network with e-mail communications to other medical providers, tertiary care centers and to patient's homes. 3. To educate staff members on the use and resources available on the Internet to enhance the care provided to area patients. 4. To develop faster, less costly research capabilities for clinicians and patients. These goals may be reached by using grant funds for professional consultation on the installation and interface of Internet hardware and software with existing servers/computer equipment; by implementing appropriate training and education of a staff with diverse computer literacy; and substantially reducing current telecommunication costs for the future support of this project. Creating access hospital-wide to the Internet furthers the strategic goals of this rural medical center to promote, improve and restore health. Neosho Memorial is committed to professional and community education and is prepared to assume future costs of this project.
