La Red wins $10.1 million to strengthen health care across Sussex County

The federal award will support medical records, chronic disease care, transportation and connections among health services; La Red’s Milford Wellness Village practice is one of three county locations

MILFORD, Del. — La Red Health Center will receive $10.1 million in federal funding to strengthen care for patients across Sussex County, including the communities served by its practice at Milford Wellness Village.

Gov. Matt Meyer and the Delaware Department of Health and Social Services announced the award Thursday as part of nearly $23 million for Delaware’s three federally qualified health centers. Westside Family Healthcare will receive $11.3 million, and Henrietta Johnson Medical Center will receive $1.29 million.

How La Red plans to use the money

The largest named technology project is implementation of Epic Community Connect, an electronic medical record system. The award also covers upgrades to La Red’s data systems and cybersecurity. Together, those investments are intended to give care teams better tools to track patients’ needs and coordinate treatment while protecting health information.

The funding will support care coordination — helping patients navigate appointments and services when their needs extend beyond one visit or one provider. It will also support more integrated medical, behavioral health, dental and specialty care. For a patient managing several conditions, that could mean a more connected approach to treatment, though the state has not announced specific new services or a timetable for them.

Another portion will go toward chronic disease management and remote patient monitoring. Remote monitoring allows a care team to follow certain health information between office visits, where appropriate, instead of relying only on measurements taken during appointments. The state has not specified which conditions La Red will monitor or how many patients will participate.

Transportation is also among the funded needs. Getting to an appointment can be an obstacle for rural patients, and La Red already offers transportation assistance as part of its broader effort to connect Sussex County residents with care. The announcement did not say what additional transportation services the award will provide.

What it means for Milford

La Red operates at 21 W. Clarke Ave. on the former Milford Memorial Hospital campus. It was the first tenant to join Milford Wellness Village and added a six-chair dental center when it moved there, according to village founder Meir Gelley. The practice offers an entry point to primary and preventive care on a campus that brings together health and community services.

The new systems and care programs could benefit patients who use that Milford practice. The state, however, described the $10.1 million as an investment in La Red’s work across Sussex County. It did not set aside a stated amount for Milford Wellness Village or announce a construction project there. La Red also operates in Georgetown and Seaford.

The award comes through Delaware’s Rural Health Transformation Program, which received about $157.4 million in federal funding for its first year. The state says the wider program includes 15 projects aimed at improving access, controlling costs and strengthening the health care workforce. news.delaware.gov

To Go Box

• What: La Red Health Center has been awarded $10.1 million for care and infrastructure improvements across Sussex County.
• Planned uses: Electronic medical records, care coordination, remote patient monitoring, chronic disease management, cybersecurity, transportation and integrated health services.
• Milford location: 21 W. Clarke Ave., at Milford Wellness Village.
• Appointments and information: Call 302-855-1233 or visit laredhealthcenter.org. news.delaware.gov