VHHA Foundation Announces $22.7 Million in Awards to Transform Rural Health Care Across Virginia

VHHA Foundation Announces $22.7 Million in Awards to Transform Rural Health Care Across Virginia

Investments Will Expand Remote Patient Monitoring, Strengthen the Rural Physician Pipeline, and Advance Food is Medicine Programs

RICHMOND, VA (October 30, 2026) - Virginia Hospital Research and Education Foundation, doing business as VHHA Foundation, today announced nearly $22.7 million in first-year awards through Virginia's Rural Health Transformation Program aimed at expanding access to care and improving health outcomes for rural Virginians.

Virginia's Rural Health Transformation Program is part of a federal initiative to strengthen health care in rural communities. The Office of the Secretary of Health and Human Resources leads the Commonwealth's effort, with the Virginia Department of Medical Assistance Services (DMAS) managing the program and VHHA Foundation administering three initiatives focused on Remote Patient Monitoring, Attract and Retain Physicians, and Food is Medicine. Together, the investments will support remote patient monitoring for approximately 6,565 patients, create 19 new medical residency positions, and provide Food is Medicine services to approximately 900 participants, while reaching rural communities across all six regions designated by the Virginia Rural Health Transformation Program.

"Virginia's rural communities deserve strong, sustainable access to high-quality health care close to home," said VHHA Foundation President Sean T. Connaughton. "These investments bring together hospitals, health systems, physicians, community organizations, and other partners around practical solutions to some of the most persistent challenges facing rural health care. VHHA Foundation is proud to partner with the Commonwealth to help translate these investments into meaningful improvements for patients, providers, and communities across Virginia."

Year One awards include:

Remote Patient Monitoring: $14.1 million

Six hospitals and health systems will receive a combined $14.121 million to implement or expand remote patient monitoring programs serving rural Virginians. The projects are expected to enroll approximately 6,565 patients and will support rural populations across all six regions designated as rural by the Virginia RHT Program.

Award recipients are:

• Ballad Health - $4,514,000
• Children's National Medical Center - $1,024,000
• Sentara Health - $1,530,000
• UVA Health - $3,943,000
• Valley Health - $1,651,000
• VCU Health - $1,459,000

Remote patient monitoring enables providers to monitor patient health data outside traditional clinical settings and transmit information to care teams. Funded projects will support populations including patients with hypertension, diabetes, congestive heart failure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, cardiovascular disease, chronic kidney disease, maternal hypertension and diabetes, epilepsy, pain management needs, and high-risk pediatric and post-discharge populations.

Attract and Retain Physicians: $3.4 million

Six awards totaling $3.4 million will support 17 new residency positions in family medicine, psychiatry, general surgery, and neurology. The initiative is designed to expand graduate medical education capacity in rural Virginia and strengthen the pipeline of physicians serving rural communities.

Awards include:

• Bon Secours St. Francis - Family Medicine, 3 positions, $600,000
• Centra Health, Inc. - Family Medicine, 2 positions, $400,000
• Mary Washington Healthcare - Family Medicine, 2 positions, $400,000
• Mary Washington Healthcare - Neurology, 4 positions, $800,000
• Mary Washington Healthcare - Psychiatry, 3 positions, $600,000
• Valley Health System - General Surgery, 3 positions, $600,000

Funded residents will be subject to a five-year rural service commitment, inclusive of their residency training period.

Food is Medicine: $4.78 million

Two organizations will receive a combined $4,778,488 to implement Food is Medicine models serving rural Virginians experiencing food insecurity who are living with, or at risk for, chronic disease.

Award recipients are:

• Federation of Virginia Food Banks - $2,389,244 for a medically tailored groceries model
• VCU Massey Cancer Center - $2,389,244 for a Farm-to-Wellness model

The projects are expected to enroll approximately 900 participants, provide nutrition education, strengthen connections among health care providers, food access organizations, agricultural partners, and community-based organizations, and support Food is Medicine programming across Virginia's six rural health regions.

About VHHA Foundation: Virginia Hospital Research and Education Foundation, doing business as VHHA Foundation, is a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the health and well-being of Virginians. Working with hospitals and health systems, state agencies, community organizations, and other partners, VHHA Foundation serves as a convener and implementation partner for initiatives that expand access to care, strengthen the health care workforce, improve health outcomes, and support healthier communities across the Commonwealth. For more information, visit vhhafoundation.org.

This subaward is supported by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of a financial assistance award totaling $189,544,888.14, with 100 percent funded by CMS/HHS. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement by, CMS/HHS or the U.S. Government.

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