Rural health care in Hawai‘i is getting an infusion of $58 million in federal funding through a program that aims to improve access to healthcare and strengthen services in rural and underserved communities across the state.
The funding is through the Rural Health Transformation Program, a five-year, $50 billion national initiative designed to help states expand access, strengthen their healthcare workforces, modernize infrastructure and improve health outcomes in rural communities.
The plan includes six coordinated initiatives focused on health information technology, telehealth, emergency and mobile medical services, workforce development, medical respite care and innovative care models for rural providers, according to a news release from the governor’s office.
“As a physician who has practiced in rural communities, I know that distance can determine whether someone receives care in time,” said Hawai‘i Gov. Josh Green.
Green said the $58 million federal investment will help train and retain more healthcare professionals, provide new ambulances in every county and modernize emergency communications.
The funding includes:
- $45 million for the University of Hawaiʻi John A. Burns School of Medicine to administer workforce development programs through the Hawaiʻi Outreach for Medical Education in Rural Under-resourced Neighborhoods, or HOME RUN, initiative.
- $13 million for the Hawaiʻi Department of Health to acquire new ambulances for each county and upgrade emergency communications systems through the Rural Infrastructure for Care Access initiative.
In January, Hawaiʻi received its first year of funding for the program for $188,892,440 through the federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, according to the news release.
The award is among the highest in the nation per rural resident. Additional annual awards are expected through 2030.
For more information on local Rural Health Transformation Program initiatives, visit
https://rhtp.hawaii.gov/.
For more information about the Rural Health Transformation Program visit
https://www.medicaid.gov/resources-for-states/rural-health.
