Tennessee Rural Health Care Center of Excellence

09/10/2026

The Tennessee Rural Health Care Center of Excellence at UT Health Sciences is excited to announce the opening of our second grant cycle with a call for Letters of Intent for grant applications through Sept. 28!

The focus of these grants should be clinical practice transformation.
The Center of Excellence has the mission of empowering rural communities for a healthier Tennessee. A key component of the Center is to administer and support grants to be distributed to organizations to address rural health concerns. In its first year, the Center awarded seven planning and implementation grants and six telehealth equipment grants.

Center Director Matt McDaniel, MPH, said, “Rural communities know what they need to improve care. Our goal as the Center of Excellence is to provide the resources and support to help turn those ideas into lasting change, and we encourage organizations across Tennessee to bring their best ideas forward.” Find complete details under grant opportunities at

Tennessee Rural Health Care Center of Excellence Members of the operational team for the Tennessee Rural Health Care Center of Excellence at UT Health Sciences recently gathered at the inaugural Center of Excellence Conference. Vision Empowering rural communities for a healthier Tennessee. Mission T...

09/08/2026

Save the date for our next webinar in the value-based care series! Join us at 12:00 pm CST on Sept. 10. Register here: https://tennesseehipaa.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_pYFzxv6DRo-skngPoSSvFw #/registration

09/04/2026

Center Director Matt McDaniel, MPH, had a great visit in Centerville this week, where he met with the Hickman County Health Council and with Kevin Bruce, chief administrative office of Ascension Saint Thomas - Hickman Hospital!

08/31/2026

Dr. Wendy Likes, principal investigator for the TN Rural Health Care Center of Excellence, convened leaders from the UT System in Brentwood last week to discuss rural healthcare workforce initiatives in Tennessee. Dr. Likes is also Dean of UT Health Sciences College of Nursing.

08/25/2026

Director Matt McDaniel, MPH, is back on the road and stopped in Sumner County to visit with leaders at Highpoint Health Partners – Sumner with Ascension Saint Thomas in Gallatin including (from left) Chief Nursing Officer Jennifer Holder, MBA, BSN, RN, CPPS; Chief Executive Officer and Market President Rod Harkleroad, RN, MMHC; Chief Medical Officer Dr. Geoffrey Lifferth; and Director of Education James Barnett, PhD, MSN.

08/21/2026

Join us on Aug. 25 at 12:00 pm CDT for our next Stories from the Field webinar! "Beyond the Grant: Building Sustainable Rural Mental Health Access Through Partnership and Infrastructure" explores how Cumberland Pediatric Foundation has leveraged Healthcare Resiliency Program initiatives to help rural communities strengthen access to behavioral and mental health services for children and families across Tennessee. Special guests Jessica Ray, MBA, executive director of the Cumberland Pediatric Foundation, and Michael Hook, MBA, director of research and education at the foundation, will share their experience. Register for the free webinar on our website: https://rural-health.uthsc.edu/

08/17/2026

Join us for our first Telehealth Tuesdays webinar! The video support team from UAMS - University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences will share tips on Technology Best Practices. Learn more about this webinar series and find registration links at https://rural-health.uthsc.edu/

08/11/2026

The Center of Excellence at UT Health Sciences is thrilled to award six telehealth equipment grants totaling $135,000 to six rural providers and organizations to increase healthcare access! Learn more at https://news.uthsc.edu/center-of-excellence-awards-telehealth-grants-to-increase-rural-healthcare-access/

08/10/2026

What does it mean to become a truly value-driven organization?
Join Rebecca Baker, BSN, RN, BS Ed, ACHE, and Aaron Wells, PhD, on August 13 at noon CT for an opening session that will break down what value-based care is, address common misconceptions, and explore why these models matter for rural healthcare organizations.
Participants who attend "From Readiness to Risk: Building Your Foundation for Value-Based Care" will leave with a clearer understanding of the factors that support success, the challenges that can lead to failure, and how to begin assessing where their organization stands today. The 45-minute presentation will be followed by a 15-minute Q&A. The registration link is on our website: https://rural-health.uthsc.edu/

08/06/2026

Center Director Matt McDaniel, MPH, is at the Mid-South Critical Access and Rural Hospital Conference in New Orleans, where he met Tennessee friends including Ruby Kirby, CEO of West Tennessee Healthcare Bolivar-Camden Hospital, Freda Russell, administrator at Ascension Saint Thomas Three Rivers, and Andrew Burnett, a center steering committee member from the Tennessee Hospital Association.