Georgia receives federal grants to help rural hospitals

ATLANTA - Two state agencies have received money to improve rural health care, federal officials said Wednesday. <br> <br> Georgia Department of Community Health has received $481,903 to help small, rural hospitals in the state those with 49 or fewer beds improve quality and patient safety. The money will be used for computers, software and technical assistance, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. <br> <br> The grant is part of $26.7 million released by the federal agency to help 1,450 small rural hospitals in 46 states and Puerto Rico. <br> <br> In addition, a second federal grant will provide the Georgia Department of Human Resources $250,000 for automatic external defibrillators and for training rural emergency personnel in their use. <br> <br> The devices can provide an electrical shock to restore the normal heart rhythm of cardiac arrest victims and can greatly improve a patient&#39;s chance of survival prior to hospitalization.