Pullman Regional Hospital recently received two grants that total to $1.2 million and will be used to partially fund the Next Era of Excellence plan.

Becky Highfill, PRH director of the center for learning and innovation, said one grant came from the Greater Columbia Accountable Community of Health and the other came from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRCA).

Officials at the hospital applied for these grants in the spring of 2019, she said.

Both of the grants will be distributed to the hospital in increments as they reach milestones on their plan, Highfill said.

“For the HRCA grant, it will be used to employ a nurse and a social work team to be trained and to implement motivational interviewing and health coaching techniques with our clinical staff,” Highfill said.

The other grant will be used to implement a more team-based approach to care, she said.

“When a patient comes in and sees their doctor it’s possible that in that same appointment they could see the behavioral health specialist, or a dietitian, or a pharmacist,” Highfill said.

Both grants are about $600,000 each and they relate to the hospital expansion plan in the Next Era of Excellence plan, said Highfill.