The future of rural healthcare hinges on high-speed broadband access
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COMMENTARY | A new federal program to transform rural healthcare will rely on patients and providers having strong internet, otherwise we risk deepening existing disparities.
Earlier this year, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services announced the multibillion-dollar Rural Health Transformation Program — an initiative that aims to redesign healthcare delivery in rural communities across America.
Tech innovation is one of six core strategic goals of the program, with a focus on building “access to remote care.” In 2025, connectivity is as fundamental to healthcare delivery as medical equipment and exam rooms.
With rural hospitals closing, healthcare costs increasing and travel times growing for in-person care, much of this new program's success will rely on patients and providers having reliable, affordable, high-speed internet. Without universal broadband access, affordable computers or tablets, and knowledge of how to use this technology, we risk squandering this critical investment and deepening the very disparities the program seeks to eliminate.
The issue is simple. No internet means both patients and providers can’t access electronic health records, remote patient monitoring, or participate in telehealth appointments. When rural families must drive to library parking lots to catch a Wi-Fi signal, virtual care isn't an option — it's an impossibility. Research shows that telehealth reduces hospital readmissions and improves follow-up appointment adherence, but these benefits evaporate without reliable connectivity.
The stakes extend beyond technology adoption. Broadband access and digital literacy are now widely considered as essential to health outcomes as food security and stable housing. Access and understanding about how to use technology go hand in hand when thinking about the link between the digital divide and healthcare. Investments in digital access need to be paired with programs that build digital skills, so people feel comfortable using telehealth technologies.
The good news? We have proven models and infrastructure to build upon. Healthcare was an outcome area in the National Telecommunications and Information Administration's Statewide Digital Equity Planning Grant program, meaning all 50 states and territories have already conducted outreach and engaged with their communities on the intersection between health outcomes and digital equity.
Arizona's pioneering telehealth initiative is a leader in demonstrating what's possible when digital infrastructure and healthcare strategy align. Methodist Healthcare Ministries of South Texas developed a grant program that provided $7 million in funding to community organizations working at the intersection of community health and digital equity. Digital health navigators — trusted community members who help patients navigate technology and healthcare systems — have proven particularly effective.
This is also about return on investment. We cannot expect meaningful health outcomes from a multibillion-dollar program if we fail to invest adequately in the digital infrastructure that enables it. Investing in technology is useless if patients, physicians and hospitals can't connect online or utilize the services.
It’s critical that state broadband offices work with their state’s health departments and agencies to proactively bridge the gap between reliable internet and healthcare for rural communities. Universal broadband access and adoption support cannot be an afterthought or a separate initiative — it must be woven into the fabric of rural health transformation from day one.
This coordination should include dedicated funding for digital health navigator programs, providing tools for healthcare institutions and community-based organizations to facilitate broadband adoption and device access, and increased digital skills offerings. States that successfully integrate these elements will maximize the program's impact; those that don't risk watching their rural communities be left further behind.
Shawn Daugherty is a principal at HR&A Advisors.