More than $12 million in rural health funding will bring care closer to home
Investments across Alaska, Oregon and Washington will expand access to surgical, maternal, stroke and urgent care services.
For people living in rural communities, getting the care they need can mean hours of travel, time away from work and family, and the uncertainty of weather-dependent transportation. New investments across PeaceHealth will help ease those burdens by making more care available closer to home.
PeaceHealth has received grant awards totaling more than $12 million through state Rural Health Transformation programs. The funding will support nine projects across Alaska, Oregon and Washington, each designed to address the needs of the communities PeaceHealth serves.
Working alongside clinical and operational leaders, the PeaceHealth Philanthropy Grants Team submitted nine proposals during the first year of funding opportunities. All nine have now received awards , bringing new resources into rural communities to advance technology, support caregivers and expand access to care.
Bringing advanced surgical and maternal care to Southeast Alaska
At PeaceHealth Ketchikan Medical Center, approximately $7 million will support improvements in surgical and maternal care for patients across southern Southeast Alaska.
Approximately $6.9 million will modernize the medical center’s surgical environment and establish the region’s first robotic-assisted minimally invasive surgery program. Operating room upgrades and new technology will support joint replacements and procedures across multiple specialties.
For patients who would otherwise need to leave the region for surgery, expanding local services can mean staying near loved ones throughout treatment and recovery. The investment will also strengthen the facilities and technology needed to sustain advanced surgical care locally for years to come.
Approximately $200,000 in additional funding will enhance maternal, fetal and neonatal care through monitoring equipment and virtual access to neonatal specialists. These tools will help caregivers recognize concerns earlier and quickly connect mothers and babies with specialized support.
Strengthening maternity and stroke care in rural Oregon
On the Oregon coast, PeaceHealth Peace Harbor Medical Center will use a $465,452 grant from the Oregon Health Authority to strengthen care for mothers, babies and families through Project ANCHOR — Accessing Neighborhood Care for Healthy Oregon Rural Births.
Peace Harbor’s proposal was one of just 85 selected for funding from approximately 500 proposals statewide through a competitive application process.
The project will expand prenatal support through CenteringPregnancy, which combines health assessments with group education and peer support. Funding will also provide maternity equipment, simulation-based training for obstetric and pediatric emergencies, and community health education and screenings.
These investments respond to a growing local need: births at Peace Harbor have increased 56% since 2023. Project ANCHOR will help caregivers meet that demand and sustain local maternity services while supporting families who may face long travel distances for care.
Stroke care will also become more accessible. Peace Harbor and PeaceHealth Cottage Grove Community Medical Center will each receive $963,000 to expand 24/7 access to stroke specialists through telehealth. Together, these projects will help rural care teams assess patients and make time-sensitive treatment decisions with remote specialist support.
Expanding access to care in Washington
Nearly $3 million in funding through the Washington State Hospital Association will support four PeaceHealth projects that expand access to virtual, specialty and urgent care.
At PeaceHealth Peace Island Medical Center, $685,207 will create additional patient care and consultation rooms equipped for virtual visits and in-person care from visiting specialists. For San Juan Island residents, this means more opportunities to receive care on the island and fewer trips to the mainland.
At PeaceHealth United General Medical Center and PeaceHealth St. Joseph Medical Center, awards of $718,207 and $770,566, respectively, will support telehealth and digital care capabilities serving rural Northwest Washington. These investments will help patients connect with primary, urgent and specialty care while improving referrals and coordination between providers.
At PeaceHealth St. John Medical Center, $800,566 will support a community-based urgent care center serving Longview, Cowlitz County and surrounding rural communities. The project will create another option for same-day care and include space and technology to connect patients with additional services through telehealth.
Bringing new resources into our communities
Each project responds to a local need. Together, they reflect PeaceHealth’s commitment to finding new ways to care for rural communities and securing the resources needed to make those improvements possible.
Securing these grants is one way PeaceHealth’s philanthropy team helps advance that work. Alongside the generosity of donors, grant funding supports investments in services, technology and caregiver expertise that strengthen care in our communities.
For patients and families, the impact is personal: access to a specialist without a lengthy trip, support during pregnancy, timely stroke care or the ability to recover from surgery close to loved ones. These investments will help make those experiences possible for more of the people who call our rural communities home.
*Rural health projects are supported by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by CMS/HHS, or the U.S. Government.
About PeaceHealth Foundations: PeaceHealth, based in Vancouver, Wash., is a non-profit Catholic health system offering care to communities in Washington, Oregon and Alaska. Since 1890, PeaceHealth has been guided by a Mission of healing and compassion. Today, PeaceHealth Foundations carry forward that legacy — powered by philanthropy and grounded in community. As the philanthropic partner to PeaceHealth’s nine medical centers and more than 160 clinics, we help expand access, advance technology and empower caregivers to provide exceptional and compassionate care. Every gift ensures that outstanding care continues to reach families, friends and neighbors throughout the Northwest. Today, PeaceHealth is the legacy of the founding Sisters and continues with a spirit of respect, stewardship, collaboration and social justice in fulfilling its Mission. Discover the impact of philanthropy at peacehealth.org/foundation.
