The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) has awarded more than $16 million to community health organizations, research centers and health systems — including several academic institutions associated with members of America’s Essential Hospitals — to improve health in rural communities.
The grants, awarded by HRSA’s Federal Office of Rural Health Policy, will be used to:
- expand telehealth use;
- help providers make quality improvement efforts; and
- support policy-focused research to better understand the challenges that rural communities face.
The funding was awarded through four grant programs: the Telehealth Network Grant Program, Rural Health Research Center Cooperative Agreements, the Small Health Care Provider Quality Improvement Program, and the Flex Rural Veterans Health Access Program.
The grant awards included:
- nearly $300,000 for the University of Arkansas System, which includes the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, a member of America’s Essential Hospitals;
- nearly $300,000 for the University of New Mexico, which includes the UNM Health Sciences Center, an essential hospital; and
- $700,000 for the University of Kentucky, which includes UK HealthCare, an association member.
