We are pleased to inform you that the Fiscal Year 2023 Omnibus budget, including the Senate’s Appropriations bill, was signed into law by President Joe Biden in December, and thanks to the efforts by US Senators Angus King and Susan Collins, St. Mary’s will receive $945,000 in funding. The project’s purpose is to support equipment and facility renovations, including improving St. Mary’s C2 Inpatient Unit by converting three single patient rooms into negative pressure-capable isolation rooms and installing a new HVAC air handling system.
“Our request for Congressionally Directed Spending for a new HVAC air handling system originated from an urgent need to ensure that St. Mary’s provides our patients and health care workers with the best and safest quality of care and to improve air quality for all,” said St. Mary’s Regional Medical Center President Steve Jorgensen. “With a resurgence in COVID-19, flu, and RSV posing additional risks for our patients, it has become even more imperative that we secure funding to upgrade our airflow systems.” St. Mary’s will receive instructions from the funding agency in the next few months that will inform of the next steps to formalize the funding for the project.