CHARLESTON, W.Va. (WVDN) – Governor Patrick Morrisey announced more than $3.4 million in West Virginia Rural Health Transformation Program (WV RHTP) awards to West Virginia University (WVU) Health System to expand care for patients with chronic health conditions and help rural hospitals address staffing shortages. The investments will connect patients with healthcare professionals who can monitor their conditions from home while giving hospitals greater flexibility to meet workforce demands.
“West Virginians deserve access to quality healthcare no matter where they live,” Governor Morrisey said. “These investments will help patients manage serious health conditions before they become emergencies while making sure our rural hospitals have the healthcare professionals they need to serve their communities. Better healthcare means healthier West Virginians who can return to work, support their families, and contribute to a stronger economy.”
One of the awards, totaling more than $2.5 million through the State’s Connected Care Grid (CCG) initiative, will help WVU Health expand support for West Virginians living with diabetes and high blood pressure. The project will create a team of West Virginia-based nurses and healthcare staff who will work directly with patients, help them monitor their health from home, and connect them with care when problems arise. The program is expected to serve approximately 1,200 patients during its first year and will support communities across all 55 counties.
The project will also allow eligible patients leaving the hospital to enroll in monitoring services before returning home. By helping patients stay connected to their healthcare providers during the transition from hospital to home, the project is designed to support better health outcomes and reduce complications from chronic conditions.
“WVU Health already serves patients in communities across West Virginia and has built a strong foundation for delivering innovative care,” Secretary of Health Dr. Arvin Singh said. “This investment allows them to build on that work by helping more people manage chronic conditions, stay connected to their healthcare providers, and access support closer to home.”
A second award of $900,000 through the Mountain State Care Force (MSCF) initiative will help WVU Health create a statewide pool of healthcare professionals who can be deployed to hospitals experiencing staffing shortages. The project will focus on supporting rural and critical access hospitals and helping communities maintain access to important healthcare services close to home.
Funding will also help speed up the process of preparing healthcare providers to work across multiple WVU Health facilities, allowing them to be deployed more quickly when staffing needs arise. Faster deployment of healthcare professionals can help hospitals respond more quickly to staffing shortages and continue providing care in the communities that depend on them.
“The Trump Administration’s Rural Health Transformation Program is giving states the resources to strengthen rural health systems to better serve the people who depend on them,” said CMS Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz. “These investments will help West Virginia expand access to high-quality care, strengthen its rural health workforce, and improve health outcomes for communities across the state.”
Additional awards will be announced as WV continues implementing its RHTP to improve healthcare outcomes, expand access to care, strengthen the healthcare workforce, and help more West Virginians get healthy and return to work.
This press release is supported by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of the financial assistance award totaling $199,476,098.72 with 100% funded by CMS HHS. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor endorsement, by CMS/HHS, or the U.S. Government.
