(Swainsboro, Ga., March 31, 2026) – U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development Georgia State Director Joyce White today announced the agency is awarding $379,048 through the Distance Learning and Telemedicine Grant (DLT) Program to East Georgia Healthcare Center (EGHC) in Emanuel County.
“This is really exciting and will make a huge difference in the region,” said White. “East Georgia Healthcare Center’s telemedicine and mobile capabilities are helping to reach outside of clinic offices; this project expands access to healthcare into rural areas where people aren’t normally reached and that helps to produce positive health outcomes. This is something USDA Rural Development is proud to help with and really something to celebrate in my view.”
This investment will be used to equip two hub sites, one hub/end-user site and 15 end-user sites throughout Appling, Bulloch, Candler, Emanuel, Evans, Jefferson, Jenkins, Montgomery, Screven, Tattnall, Toombs and Treutlen counties in eastern Georgia with computational and video capabilities. Medical professionals at East Georgia Healthcare Center facilities in Emanuel, Bulloch and Toombs counties will deliver primary care, pediatric, optometry, mental health, patient education, case management and employee education to 15 locations.
“With the help and funding of the USDA DLT program we will be able to better allocate our staffing resources throughout our rural service area for better coverage, utilizing a more advanced equipment fleet to ensure our 35,000+ patients receive the care they deserve,” said Peyton W. Frye, Chief Operating Officer at EGHC.
“Since our inception, EGHC has made it our mission to eliminate barriers to high quality health care. These funds will greatly increase our ability to bring care to areas that may not usually have access,” said Jennie Wren Denmark, CEO.
USDA Rural Development’s Distance Learning and Telemedicine Grant Program helps rural communities use technology to connect to educational and healthcare opportunities they may otherwise not have access to.
USDA Rural Development invests in rural America with programs to promote rural prosperity. These programs expand access to high-speed internet, electricity, and transportation infrastructure, and support economic growth, healthcare, education, housing and other community essentials. Discover more investment details and historical data in the Rural Data Gateway and learn more about the agency at www.rd.usda.gov.
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