HUB has initiated a new project to address the local communities in need.  We have identified significant supply chain breakdowns across our state, especially for rural hospitals and health clinics.

Clinic administrators across the state serving vulnerable populations have confirmed their need for assistance with securing more supplies and equipment. Fifty-five of the sixty-seven counties in Alabama are rural, and 44% of Alabamians live in these rural areas.

These hospitals and clinics serve primary care and some secondary and tertiary care to meet the needs of their patients in their own community. Specialized second and tertiary care may require transport of patients to other specific facilities.

The overall state of rural hospitals and clinics in Alabama is “extremely fragile”, according to Danne Howard with the Alabama Hospital Association (AHA).  Since 2010, seven rural hospitals have closed, and more than 40 are most vulnerable to closing due to lack of Medicaid expansion and reduced revenue. The AHA reports that 88% of rural hospitals operate in the red, and all rural hospitals have a median operating margin of negative 11%.

Despite these challenges, rural hospitals and clinics continue to work every day to provide efficient and affordable care, while keeping patients close to home.

HUB seeks to bridge the gap between facilities with surplus supplies and facilities that desperately need these donations. Our goal is to serve as an additional resource of supplies and equipment on an ongoing basis for these hospitals and clinics to enable them to better serve their patients.

There are 3 objectives for the Adopt A Clinic project:
1. Support healthcare providers with supplies so they can give quality care to their patients
2. Establish partnerships with rural hospitals and clinics and Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHC) for long-term supply chain relationships
3. Keep surplus supplies and equipment out of our landfills