Rural Health Transformation
The recently enacted Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP) represents one of the largest and most impactful opportunities for rural healthcare providers to realign priorities and fund necessary projects that have been out of financial reach. The RHTP is a historic $50 billion investment over five years to bolster rural healthcare systems across all 50 states.
For rural healthcare providers, often constrained by limited budgets, aging infrastructure, and workforce shortages, the RHTP offers an unprecedented chance to shift from reactive, survival-mode operations to proactive, transformative strategies. By focusing on four core pillars - sustainable access, workforce development, care transformation, and technology adoption - the program enables providers to prioritize long-term viability over short-term fixes, addressing disparities that have plagued rural communities for decades.
RHTP Initiatives
Make Rural America Healthy Again
Support rural health innovations and new access points to promote preventative health and address root causes of diseases. Projects will use evidence-based, outcomes-driven interventions to improve disease prevention, chronic disease management, behavioral health, and prenatal care.
Sustainable Access
Help rural providers become long-term access points for care by improving efficiency and sustainability. With RHT Program support, rural facilities work together—or with high-quality regional systems—to share or coordinate operations, technology, primary and specialty care, and emergency services.
Innovative Care
Spark the growth of innovative care models to improve health outcomes, coordinate care, and promote flexible care arrangements. Develop and implement payment mechanisms incentivizing providers or Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) to reduce health care costs, improve quality of care, and shift care to lower cost settings.
Workforce Development
Attract and retain a high-skilled health care workforce by strengthening recruitment and retention of healthcare providers in rural communities. Help rural providers practice at the top of their license to serve a rural community’s needs, such as community health workers and individuals trained to help patients navigate the healthcare system.
Technology Innovation
Foster use of innovative technologies that promote efficient care delivery, data security, and access to digital health tools by rural facilities, providers, and patients. Projects support access to remote care, improve data sharing, strengthen cybersecurity, and invest in emerging technologies.