Avera Health will be receiving an award of over $8.5 million to improve facilities in South Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa, and Nebraska. The Health Care Innovation Awards are funded by the Affordable Care Act and distributed by the Department of Health and Human Services. Tony Erickson, Executive Director of Senior Services for Avera Health says the funding will go towards the improvement and expansion of the E-care system.

Erickson says the grant not only supports the current facilities, but requires Avera to grow their E-care services.

He says Avera is very excited about the award that will allow them to speed up and provide better care to long-term residents.