DCH Health System Awarded $5 Million for Rural Health Care

More than $144 million in grants to healthcare providers and institutions across Alabama make up the first round of ARHTP funding, announced by Governor Kay Ivey. The program aims to enhance healthcare access, improve quality of care, and strengthen health outcomes in rural communities across the state.

DCH Health System has been awarded $5 million through the Alabama Rural Health Transformation Program (ARHTP). The funding will support efforts to increase healthcare access and bolster the healthcare workforce throughout West Alabama. “DCH will use the funding to address two critical barriers to rural healthcare access: transportation and availability of specialized providers,” said the press release.

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“Investments like these allow us to continue building a stronger, more accessible healthcare system for the people of West Alabama,” said Katrina Keefer, President and CEO of DCH Health System. “Expanding access to specialized care and strengthening the resources available to patients across our region are important parts of our commitment to improving health outcomes for the communities we serve. We are grateful for this investment and the opportunity to continue expanding the care and services available throughout West Alabama.”

Expanding transportation options for patients across Fayette, Pickens, Greene, Hale, Lamar, Perry, Sumter, Marengo, Choctaw, Tuscaloosa and Bibb counties will be made possible through a $2 million award that will establish a dedicated non-emergency medical transportation program to help patients access healthcare services. The press release said, “This will also support the existing emergent transport services in those counties to allow more availability to transport or treat in place true emergencies.”

With an additional $3 million award, DCH will recruit and retain two interventional cardiologists, one heart rhythm specialist, and two advanced practice providers. The funding will strengthen access to cardiovascular care across Tuscaloosa, Fayette, Pickens, Greene, Hale, Lamar, Perry, Sumter, Marengo, Choctaw and Bibb counties.

Administered by the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs (ADECA), the Alabama Rural Health Transformation Program is supported by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) as part of a broader federal effort to transform rural healthcare.