Under current conditions, rural health care providers face challenges in harnessing the benefits of health information technology (IT) due to limited access to capital and workforce challenges. Rural hospitals tend to have lower financial operating margins and limited capital to make the investments needed to purchase hardware, software, and other equipment. As a result, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) signed an MOU in August 2011 linking rural health care hospitals and clinics to USDA grants and loans to support the acquisition of health IT infrastructure. The White House Rural Council adopted this initiative and publicly announced its commitment to expanding financing for rural health IT.

Since the signing of the MOU, participating critical access hospital and small rural hospitals have received roughly $38 Million in funding. In-person funding workshops have been launched in Iowa, Kansas, Texas, Illinois, Mississippi, Montana, Georgia, Michigan, Minnesota, and Tennessee to share information regarding the available health IT infrastructure funding for rural safety net providers which now includes rural health clinics, long term care facilities, and mental health clinics serving rural veterans.

Presenters for this webinar will speak about current funding opportunities in the states where workshops have taken place and anticipated workshops in additional states. Presenters also will share their experience on how they have been able to leverage the funds to support the health IT infrastructure and rural economic development in their safety net communities.

Presenters include: