York, Pa., July 24, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — WellSpan Health will invest in improvements at three hospitals serving rural communities following a $2.8 million grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services through the Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP).
“Every community deserves access to safe, high-quality care close to home,” said Roxanna Gapstur, Ph.D., R.N., president and CEO of WellSpan Health. “These funds allow us to make specialized investments in our rural hospitals so patients can receive more of the care they need locally. It also supports our clinical teams who serve these communities and reinforces our commitment to ensuring rural health care remains strong for the future.”
The RHTP is a $50 billion federal initiative, administered by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and allocated to state governments, designed to strengthen care delivery in rural communities through investments in technology, infrastructure, workforce development, behavioral health, maternal health and emergency services. The program focuses on building strong, resilient communities where people of all ages can access timely care close to home through technology, innovation and collaboration.
The funding will support the following projects at WellSpan Chambersburg Hospital, WellSpan Evangelical Community Hospital and WellSpan Waynesboro Hospital helping modernize clinical spaces, replace critical equipment, strengthen infrastructure and expand access to services that patients may otherwise need to travel farther to receive:
- WellSpan Chambersburg Hospital: Upgrades to neurosurgical technology to expand access to advanced care and reduce the need for patients to travel significant distances for complex neurosurgical care.
- WellSpan Evangelical Community Hospital: Replacement of critical power transition equipment to prevent sudden system failures and ensure patient safety and uninterrupted access to care during outages.
- WellSpan Waynesboro Hospital: Renovation of the infusion therapy space and upgraded ultrasound and echocardiogram equipment to enhance patient care and modernize technology.
Together, these projects will reduce travel burdens for patients and support a better care experience for patients and families in rural communities across south central Pennsylvania.
“We are grateful for the strong partnerships we have formed with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, our federal Congressional delegation, the Shapiro Administration and the Hospital and Healthsystem Association of Pennsylvania. We look forward to working with them and local partners over the next few years to help transform rural health across the region,” said Gapstur.
For WellSpan, these funds align with its mission of working as one to improve health through exceptional care for all, lifelong wellness and healthy communities. To learn more about WellSpan’s commitment to improving health outcomes and helping communities thrive, please refer to the annual Community Impact Report.
