MITCHELL, S.D. (MITCHELLNOW) Avera has received a three-year, $1 million grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to expand virtual nursing services across 28 rural hospitals in South Dakota, Minnesota, Nebraska, and Iowa. The program, called Avera RURAL-UP, uses telemedicine and AI tools to help bedside nurses by handling tasks like patient education, admissions, and discharge protocols, freeing up staff for direct patient care. Avera piloted the program at Sioux Falls and Pierre hospitals and will now roll out advanced telehealth equipment to more rural communities, including Mitchell, Yankton, Wagner, and Wessington Springs. Officials say the effort will ease workforce shortages, improve patient safety, and enhance access to quality health care in small towns across the Upper Midwest. Funding runs through August 2027. For more Government stories from MitchellNow.com, Click Here.