Rural Hospitals – Models and Innovations

These stories feature model programs and successful rural projects that can serve as a source of ideas and provide lessons others have learned. Some of the projects or programs may no longer be active. Read about the criteria and evidence-base for programs included.

Effective Examples

Franklin Cardiovascular Health Program (FCHP)

Updated/reviewed March 2026

• Need: To develop sustainable, community-wide prevention methods for cardiovascular diseases in order to change behaviors and healthcare outcomes in rural Maine.
• Intervention: Local community groups and Franklin Memorial Hospital staff studied mortality and hospitalization rates for 40 years in this rural, low-income area of Farmington to seek intervention methods that could address cardiovascular diseases.
• Results: A decline in cardiovascular-related mortality rates and improved prevention methods for hypertension, high cholesterol, and smoking.

Other Project Examples

Community Care Partnership of Maine Accountable Care Organization

Updated/reviewed April 2026

• Need: To increase access and quality of care for patients in rural Maine.
• Intervention: Community hospitals and Federally Qualified Health Centers in Maine formed the Community Care Partnership of Maine Accountable Care Organization (CCPM ACO).
• Results: CCPM serves about 250,000 patients in Maine every year. In addition, it has implemented shared savings arrangements/contracts with different Medicare Advantage and other private health payers.

Healthy Southern Illinois Delta Network

Updated/reviewed January 2026

• Need: To improve people's health in a rural 16-county region in Illinois.
• Intervention: A coalition of local health departments and healthcare facilities coordinates regional efforts, which are implemented locally by health community coalitions.
• Results: HSIDN has created toolkits, developed resource guides, and provided wellness trainings, among other initiatives.

Montana Interfacility Blood Network (MT IBN)

Updated/reviewed July 2025

• Need: To provide blood transfusions in the ambulance on the way to a hospital.
• Intervention: The Montana Interfacility Blood Network includes 48 healthcare facilities that stock blood and allow ambulances to pick up units of blood while transporting a patient.
• Results: Since its launch, the network has helped at least three patients.

Utah Rural Independent Hospital Network (Rural 9 Network)

Updated/reviewed December 2024

• Need: To help ensure the viability of and improve quality at 9 rural, independent hospitals serving 11 Utah counties.
• Intervention: A network organization was created to allow member hospitals to communicate, network, and undertake projects together.
• Results: Members take advantage of cost savings, education, and networking opportunities through group projects and programs.

The Hospital Cooperative Charge Comparative

Updated/reviewed October 2024

• Need: To help hospitals in rural Idaho and Wyoming see how their prices compare to others in the region.
• Intervention: The Hospital Cooperative (THC) completes an annual charge comparative, which lists the highest, lowest, average, and median price for a specific charge.
• Results: THC has offered these reports since 2010.

The Hospital Cooperative Mobile MRI

Updated/reviewed October 2024

• Need: Critical Access Hospitals in Idaho were not able to afford a fixed MRI system.
• Intervention: The hospitals partnered to purchase a mobile MRI unit to travel among facilities.
• Results: The MRI unit went into service in 2012, providing hundreds of scans per month and traveling among six member hospitals in rural Idaho.