More than $144 million is headed to healthcare providers across Alabama in an effort to make it easier for people in rural communities to get the medical care they need.
Gov. Kay Ivey announced Monday that 138 grants have been awarded through the Alabama Rural Health Transformation Program. The projects will reach rural areas in every Alabama county.
The money will be used for a wide range of needs, including better medical equipment, mental health services, telehealth, transportation for patients, technology upgrades and efforts to recruit and train more doctors, nurses and other healthcare workers.
For rural residents, many of the projects are aimed at solving a familiar problem: getting healthcare without having to travel long distances.
Some hospitals and clinics will use the funding to bring specialists to patients through telehealth. Others will purchase new equipment, improve emergency and hospital services or provide transportation for people who have trouble getting to medical appointments.
West Alabama is among the areas expected to benefit. DCH Health System was awarded $2 million for a non-emergency medical transportation program serving several counties, including Pickens, Greene, Hale, Lamar, Sumter and others. DCH also received $3 million to help recruit and keep heart specialists and other healthcare providers in West Alabama.
Other projects will focus on strengthening rural hospitals and clinics behind the scenes. Grant money will help healthcare providers update computer systems, improve cybersecurity and better protect patient information.
Another major goal is growing Alabama’s rural healthcare workforce. Funding will support medical residency programs, nursing education, emergency medical training and programs designed to encourage healthcare professionals to work in rural communities.
The grants are part of a larger federally funded effort. Alabama’s Rural Health Transformation Program is being supported through more than $203 million from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Ivey said the goal is to make lasting improvements so Alabamians can receive quality healthcare regardless of where they live.
This is only the first round of grants. Five areas of the state’s rural health program are being funded now, and additional grant awards are expected to be announced later.
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