According to Gila Regional Medical Center Interim Chief Executive Officer Richard Stokes, as soon as the applications opened up to apply for the advanced Medicare payments as listed in the stimulus package passed by Congress last week, the application was submitted.

Today about noon, GRMC submitted its application, which was ready to go as soon as they received word. Congresswoman Xochitl Torres-Small's office let the hospital know and replied to Stokes about how impressed they were at how fast the application went out.

Stokes said the team working on the COVID-19 response is staying on top of possible funding and grants and applying when the hospital meets the criteria. Two of the main team members for this aspect of the hospital's response to the pandemic are Chief Quality and Compliance Officer Tanya Carroccio and Chief Nursing Officer Kelly Rodriguez. He complimented them for their work.