RI Rural Health Transformation Program
A federal initiative established by CMS to improve healthcare access, quality, and sustainability across 18 designated rural municipalities in Rhode Island.
Rhode Island’s rural communities face unique challenges, including limited access to care, workforce shortages, transportation barriers, and persistent health disparities. While Rhode Island is the smallest state, rural health disparities affect thousands of residents. Developed by the Office of Primary Care and Rural Health and approved by the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy to guide administration of the State Offices of Rural Health Program, RI identifies 18 Rhode Island towns as having rural health challenges, including: limited access to providers, transportation barriers, higher rates of chronic disease, reduced access to behavioral health and specialty care
NEMIC will deliver two programs—the Challenge, the Fellowship—as part of the State’s Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP) call for a stronger rural healthcare workforce and practical innovation that reaches the communities who need it most.
The Innovation Challenge
For innovators and organizations with solutions that can help address pressing rural healthcare needs
The Challenge will be informed by a comprehensive assessment of rural healthcare challenges, workforce needs and opportunities across Rhode Island rural communities. NEMIC will engage healthcare providers, community organizations, workforce partners, educators, patients, employers and other stakeholders to identify priority areas where innovation can make a meaningful difference.
The Innovation Fellowship
For professionals and community leaders who have a direct role in, or connection to, rural healthcare.
The Fellowship is a new professional development initiative designed to equip healthcare professionals, administrators, educators and community leaders with the skills and tools needed to lead meaningful innovation in Rhode Island’s rural healthcare communities.
This program is part of Rhode Island’s Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP) supported by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) of the United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), to improve the health and healthcare services of rural Rhode Islanders. RHTP programs increase access to care, build the health workforce of the future, and modernize health infrastructure technology. For more information on RHTP, visit https://eohhs.ri.gov/initiatives/rural-health-transformation-program.