NC Rural Health Transformation Program FAQs
Last updated Aug. 5, 2026
The Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP) is a federal program authorized under H.R. 1 in July 2025 that provides five years of funding to states to support rural communities in improving health care access, quality, and outcomes. The program is a cooperative agreement designed to help states transform rural health care delivery systems by investing in innovation, infrastructure, partnerships, and workforce development.
The N.C. Health Information Exchange Authority (NC HIEA) is partnering with the NC Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) as a key stakeholder for achieving technology-related goals in North Carolina’s implementation of the RHTP. Specifically, NC HIEA will work to build technical capacity and infrastructure in identified rural communities, including 170+ integrations between rural providers’ Electronic Health Record (EHR) systems and NC HealthConnex, the state-designated health information exchange, in the first two years of the program. NC HIEA will also focus on furthering utilization of NC HealthConnex services in rural communities by providing tailored training and hands-on technical assistance aimed at meeting the unique needs of rural providers and their EHRs.
Funding will be available to certain rural NC HealthConnex participants to assist with one-time NC HealthConnex integration and adoption costs upon successful connection within the funding period. Rural provider integrations will be prioritized based on population health impact criteria, rural populations served, demonstration of engagement, and place in NC HIEA’s connection queue. NC HIEA will coordinate closely with NCDHHS and engage with rural providers and stakeholder organizations to ensure program planning is informed by deep engagement with the communities involved.
The NC RHTP will provide funds that can be used to offset electronic health record (EHR) vendor fees and other costs associated with connection once a participant successfully completes onboarding and related program criteria. The amount of funds will vary per participant depending on interface/service type and average, related work effort. These funds are intended to assist with one-time technical and workflow-related expenses incurred to connect to NC HealthConnex.
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