A $25 million loan from the U.S. Department of Agriculture will help fund the construction of a new 50-bed acute care hospital in Harnett County, North Carolina.
Harnett Health Systems in Lillington, N.C., has been selected to receive the funding through the USDA's Rural Development Community Facilities Loan Program. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack made the announcement on Saturday.
"The construction of this hospital with Recovery Act funds will provide needed medical services to the residents of Harnett County, and in the surrounding area," said Vilsack.
In addition to supporting construction of the new hospital, Harnett Health Systems also plans to upgrade the Betsy Johnson Regional Hospital Facility in Dunn, N.C. The health system will use funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to improve radiology, laboratory and cardiology services at the hospital.
In addition to the $25 million in ARRA loan funds that USDA Rural Development is providing to fund the Harnett Health System's central campus facility, the North Carolina health system intends to leverage $72.1 million from other sources.
The USDA's Community Facilities Program finances buildings and equipment for public use in rural areas. The funds are available to public bodies, non-profit organizations and federally recognized Indian tribes.