State awards Oswego Health nearly $10 million for primary care expansion, technology

OSWEGO, N.Y. — Oswego Health says it plans to use $9.6 million in New York State funding to further expand primary care services and improve its clinical communication.

The funding comes from what the state calls transformation grants. Oswego Health will use a $9 million grant for the primary care expansion and a $600,000 grant to fund a system to connect staff and information needed while delivering patient care.

Oswego Health currently has six primary care locations and employs 17 primary care providers throughout Oswego County.

Before applying for the grants, Oswego Health says it conducted a community-needs survey to analyze the community’s need for health-care services. The survey found 79 percent of the respondents travel outside the county for health-care services.

As part of the $600,000 grant, Oswego Health will deploy the platform Vocera throughout Oswego Hospital, Lakeview Center for Mental Health, and Seneca Hill Manor. Vocera is a platform for clinical communication and workflow. The clinical-communication technology will “optimize” patient and staff safety and is “proven to obtain a more complete picture of a patient’s situation faster,” Oswego Health said.