Rural care. Island strength. Healthier futures.
Hawaiʻi’s Rural Health Transformation Program
A five-year investment to improve rural healthcare access, quality, workforce stability, infrastructure, technology, emergency response, and long-term system sustainability across Hawaiʻi.
Overview
Bringing modern healthcare closer to rural communities.
Hawaiʻi’s rural communities face long travel distances, limited specialty care, workforce shortages, aging infrastructure, and barriers to timely primary care, behavioral health, emergency services, and post-acute support. RHTP is designed to help close those gaps through coordinated statewide and community-based transformation.
Why this matters for Hawaiʻi
Healthcare resources are concentrated on Oʻahu, while neighbor island and rural Oʻahu communities often experience access barriers that can delay care and increase strain on families, providers, and emergency systems.
How the plan is organized
The plan is built around interconnected initiatives that strengthen technology, telehealth, emergency access, workforce, respite care, and long-term sustainability for rural health systems.
RHRPC partnership and support
UH Rural Health Research and Policy Center
The University of Hawaiʻi Rural Health Research and Policy Center supports rural health improvement through community engagement, policy-relevant research, and actionable policy recommendations. RHRPC helps connect rural health needs, data, partners, and policy strategies that can improve health across geographies in Hawaiʻi.
Visit the RHRPC websiteThe Six Initiatives
A practical framework for rural health transformation.
These initiatives work together to expand access, modernize systems, grow the healthcare workforce, and support sustainable care delivery.
Rural Health Information Network
A statewide digital backbone connecting rural hospitals, clinics, health centers, referrals, and shared data platforms.
Pili Ola Telehealth Network
Virtual care access points in schools, libraries, workplaces, community centers, and homes.
Rural Infrastructure for Care Access
Emergency medical services, mobile care, community paramedicine, behavioral health, and trauma coordination.
HOME RUN Rural Healthcare Workforce Pipeline
Training sites, residencies, transition-to-practice programs, certificates, education awards, and retention supports.
Rural Respite Network
Medical respite centers to support recovery and reduce preventable hospital stays for vulnerable patients.
Rural Value-Based Innovation and AHEAD Readiness Fund
Support for rural providers adopting value-based care and population-health models.