Rutherford Regional Health System and PANGAEA Internet are recipients of a 2012 Facebook-Rutherford Community Action Grant

November 13, 2012 – Tryon, NC

The $15,000 grant will be used to build infrastructure to connect the hospital hub to Chase Family Care and Insights Psychiatric Resources. This represents phase two in a partnership between Rutherford Regional Health System and PANGAEA Internet to build fiber optic cable to connect the hospital to PANGAEA’s fiber network and to seven RRHS locations throughout the county. This is the second grant Facebook has awarded to the partnership; in 2011, Rutherford Regional and PANGAEA received a $25,000 grant to connect RRHS to PANGAEA’s network and to Rutherford Surgical Associates.

Facebook recently awarded a Community Action Grant to Rutherford Regional Health System and PANGAEA that will be used to construct fiber optic cable to connect the hospital hub with Chase Family Care and Insights Psychiatric Resources. Pictured are, from left, John Domansky, chief operating officer of Rutherford Regional Health System; Keven McCammon of Facebook; Cindy Buck, chief executive officer of Rutherford Regional Health System; and Ron Walters, executive director of PANGAEA.

“We are thrilled that Facebook’s continued generosity will accelerate ourhealth care connectivity project in Rutherford County and allow the PANGAEA Internet/RRHS partnership to connect two more local health care facilities to the RRHS main campus using PANGAEA’s ‘speed of light’ fiber optic network,” said Ron Walters, executive director of PANGAEA.

By connecting these practices to the existing network, Rutherford Regional will be able to transfer 100 percent of electronic medical records securely between facilities.

“Through this very generous Facebook grant and our partnership with PANGAEA, we will be able to establish a more efficient process where patient information can be shared electronically from facility to facility,” said Cindy Buck, CEO of Rutherford Regional Health System. “This will serve to improve the patient/physician experience and only add to our already high level of quality care. We are so appreciative to Facebook for their continued support of community health care and the connectivity required in providing that care.”

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PANGAEA Internet (pan-GEE-ah) is a non-profit provider of high-speed fiber optic Internet service, currently serving nearly 150 customer locations across Polk and Rutherford Counties, including public school districts, city and county governments, healthcare facilities, and local businesses. Visit us online @ www.pangaea.us, or contact Executive Director Ron Walters at 828-859-3072.

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