Vermont RHTP Awarded $195M for FHIR-Native Build

Details

Vermont received $195.1 million in Year 1 Rural Health Transformation Program funding, nearly double the expected allocation. The program is led by the Agency of Human Services (AHS), with specific grants managed by the Department of Disabilities, Aging, and Independent Living (DAIL). Key initiatives include implementing telehealth for specialty care access, deploying mobile health teams, enhancing Mobile Integrated Health (MIH) for post-discharge and substance use disorder care, upgrading technology for rural health systems, and maintaining a strong focus on behavioral health. As the most rural state in the nation by population share, this funding aims to build a FHIR-native platform capable of enabling interoperable care coordination, telehealth, remote patient monitoring, and clinical data exchange across its vast network of providers. This initiative represents a significant policy and technical advancement aimed at addressing broad regional healthcare challenges in the US. It focuses on building comprehensive care coordination capabilities beyond mere technology adoption, utilizing advanced digital health tools and AI to improve clinical workflows in rural settings.