The Rural Health Association of Tennessee is excited to announce that Early Bird Registration is now open for our 32nd Annual Conference, taking place this November. Each year, the conference brings together rural health leaders, healthcare providers, advocates, policymakers and community partners from across Tennessee to share ideas, discuss challenges and explore innovative solutions that strengthen rural healthcare.

Attendees will have the opportunity to hear from industry experts, participate in educational sessions, network with colleagues from across the state and gain valuable insights into the latest trends and developments impacting rural communities. Whether you are a longtime attendee or joining us for the first time, the conference offers meaningful opportunities to learn, collaborate and build connections that support the future of rural health.

The Rural Health Association of Tennessee (RHA) is proud to announce the official opening of its new Rural Resource 

Center in Huntingdon, Tennessee. Last week, community leaders, partners and supporters gathered for a ribbon cutting ceremony to celebrate this exciting milestone and the opportunities it will bring to rural communities across the region.

This program can significantly support your clinic’s recruitment and retention efforts by making positions more attractive to primary care clinicians. Through valuable federal loan repayment and scholarship incentives, it helps reduce financial barriers for providers while strengthening your workforce and improving long-term staffing stability.

To learn more, visit: Apply to Become an NHSC Site | NHSC

Rural hospitals face ongoing financial and operational pressures that have contributed to the closure of many Labor & Delivery programs nationwide. This webinar, hosted by the Flex Monitoring Team (FMT) and presented by Stroudwater, will highlight practical strategies to help rural hospitals assess and strengthen the financial sustainability of these services.

Highlighting key insights from the Sustaining Rural Labor & Delivery Programs brief, this session will cover approaches to improving how costs are tracked and reported, understanding the financial performance of Labor and Delivery services, and identifying opportunities to improve efficiency and partnerships. Attendees will gain actionable insights to support informed decision-making and help maintain access to essential maternity care in rural communities. 

Register Here

Join us for a Virtual Rural Health Vendor Fair on April 13, a dynamic online event designed to connect rural health leaders with innovative solutions and potential opportunities/partnerships for Rural Health Transformation.

Throughout the day, attendees will hear directly from a group of vendors offering expertise in key areas such as data analytics, value-based care, cybersecurity, patient engagement, remote patient monitoring and rural health consulting.

Though this class is designed to help facility managers and revenue cycle staff to pass the optional certification exam to become a Rural Health - Coding & Billing Specialist (RH-CBS) We urge clinical personnel (MD, DO, NP, PA, RN) to attend as well since clinical documentation is key to everything. BUILD A SHARED FOUNDATION OF KNOWLEDGE.

Who Needs Training on RHC documentation, coding, billing, and quality reporting?

• Do you providers, managers, and coding/billing/quality staff have a shared foundation of knowledge?
• Do your clinical providers know the documentation rules related to capturing the valuable services they provide?
• How confident is senior-management that the RHC is not under-valuing their "true costs" on the annual cost report?
• How long has it been since they received updates that are relevant to the unique needs of a Rural Health Clinic?
• Does your RHC have a full record of each service provided (CPT/HCPCS-II codes) and why they were done (ICD-10-CM codes)?
• Are you generating all of the revenue that you are entitled to when billing non-Medicare/Medicaid payers?
• Are you reporting quality measures related to Shared Savings, Risk Adjustment, HCCs, or other Quality Improvement programs?

Who is the class for?

This class is specifically designed for clinical personnel (MD, DO, NP, PA, RN), coders, billers, EHR professionals, facility and financial managers that work in RHCs, and look-alikes to encourage building a shared foundation of knowledge. We will provide action Items and how to “get results” by working together through hands-on practice.

We’re excited to announce that the call for speaker proposals is now open for our 32nd Annual Conference.

Each year, our conference brings together leaders, professionals and partners from across the rural health community to share ideas, explore challenges and highlight innovative solutions. As we begin planning for this year’s event, we are looking for engaging speakers who can contribute meaningful insights and practical knowledge that attendees can take back to their organizations.

As an organization that cares deeply about the health and safety of our nation’s children, we signed on to this letter with 80 other partners to request the U.S Congress provide $24.334 million in funding for the Emergency Medical Services for Children (EMSC) program at the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2027 Labor, HHS, Education (LHHS) appropriations bill.

The EMSC program has made landmark improvements to the emergency care delivered to children all across the nation. As the only federal program dedicated to improving emergency care for children, EMSC has brought vital attention and resources to an otherwise neglected population. EMSC has bipartisan, bicameral support and was recently reauthorized at this amount—the most recently appropriated level—via the Emergency Medical Services for Children Program Reauthorization Act of 2024 (H.R. 6960, S. 3765). This level of funding allows states to address gaps in children’s access to high quality emergency and trauma care.

Read our Full Letter Here

RHA is Coming to Middle TN!

The Rural Health Association of Tennessee will host its final one of three regional events on April 16, 2026, in Sewanee, TN. We are grateful to the University of the South for hosting this meeting, which will bring together health care professionals, community leaders, public health advocates and rural health champions.

This Middle Tennessee regional event will focus on health, safety, and aging in rural Middle Tennessee.

RHC Summit in Murfreesboro

The Rural Health Association of Tennessee is excited to announce that registration is now open for the 4th Annual TN-RHC Network Summit. Join us on Tuesday, June 23, 2026, in Murfreesboro for a full day of learning, connection and practical insights designed specifically for federally designated Rural Health Clinics.

This year’s summit will feature compliance updates from leading experts, billing and reimbursement strategies, TennCare updates, grant preparation and management guidance and real-world innovations from fellow RHCs. Attendees will also have the opportunity to engage with peers, hear directly from state and federal partners and walk away with tools they can immediately apply in their clinics.

The Rural Health Association of Tennessee was recently recognized in an article from East Tennessee State University highlighting innovative efforts to improve the health and well-being of older adults across the state.

The article, “Helping Seniors Thrive Through Connection,” features ETSU’s CHAT program, which focuses on connecting older adults with behavioral health needs to local senior meal sites. This approach helps reduce social isolation while improving access to nutrition and supportive services—two critical factors in promoting healthier aging, especially in rural communities. RHA is proud to be included among the partners supporting this important work. Collaborations like this reflect the power of community-driven solutions and reinforce the role partnerships play in addressing complex rural health challenges.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The Tennessee Department of Health will offer health leaders, partners, and stakeholders insight on new funding opportunities in the Tennessee Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP) with an information session and overview at 10:00 a.m., Central, on Tue., March 31, 2026.

The session will provide a high-level overview of the RHTP vision and how the RHTP goals align with the state’s broader health care vision. Information on competitive funding opportunities will be outlined for interested applicants. Session participants will get information on next steps in the RHTP’s grant process, how to submit follow-up questions, and where to find more information. Registration for the RHTP information session is available online.

We are proud to announce the unveiling of our new Rural Health Dashboard, a powerful tool designed to bring greater visibility and insight into the health of rural communities across our state.

This interactive resource provides trends and key indicators that will help inform decision-making, support strategic planning and drive meaningful change. By making critical information more accessible, the dashboard empowers healthcare providers, policymakers and community leaders to better understand local needs and work collaboratively toward improving rural health outcomes.

Try it Here

The USDA Farm Bill is a critical piece of legislation that impacts rural health, health care access and community development across the country. While often associated with agriculture, the Farm Bill also supports rural hospitals, child nutrition programs and essential services that shape quality of life in rural communities. Below we have a recap of the webinar for you to watch if you missed it live.

Typically renewed every five years, the last Farm Bill was passed in 2018. As Congress works toward the next version, there is an opportunity to strengthen investments in rural health care and economic development. The U.S. House of Representatives has passed its version, while the Senate’s proposal is still pending.

The Tennessee Charitable Care Network is strengthening communities across the state through its support of Community Health Workers. These trusted professionals serve as a bridge between patients and the health care system, helping individuals navigate services, access resources and receive culturally responsive care.

Community Health Workers play a critical role in improving health outcomes, increasing access to care and addressing barriers that often prevent people from getting the help they need. Through funding, training and workforce development, TCCN ensures these frontline workers are equipped to make a lasting impact.

The Rural Health Association of Tennessee is delighted to announce that our 2026 Annual Conference Sponsorship Prospectus is now available.

Each year, our Annual Conference brings together 350+ rural health leaders, providers, policymakers, educators and advocates from across Tennessee to collaborate on solutions that strengthen rural communities. This event creates a space for meaningful conversations, innovative ideas and partnerships that help move rural health forward.

March 3rd, 2026, Rural Health Association of Tennessee Members met with our State Representatives and Senators to talk about the Rural Health Transformation Program, the Rural Health Safety Net, AI "Downcoding" and Certificate of Need.

A special thanks to the follow state Representatives for meeting with us:

The Rural Health Association of Tennessee will host the first of three regional events on March 17, 2026 in Humboldt, TN. We are grateful to Humboldt Medical Center for hosting this meeting which will bring together health care professionals, community leaders, public health advocates and rural health champions.

This event will focus on maternal health and food security. You can learn more about the sessions and speakers by reviewing the agenda below.

The Rural Health Association of Tennessee will host its second of three regional events on March 26, 2026, in Sevierville, TN. We are grateful to Walters State Community College for hosting this meeting, which will bring together health care professionals, community leaders, public health advocates and rural health champions.

This East Tennessee regional event will focus on building the rural health care ecosystem, with an emphasis on workforce development, partnerships, and access to care across the region.

February 12, 2026, Rural Health Association of Tennessee members from across Tennessee traveled to Washington, D.C. to participate in the National Rural Health Association Policy Institute.

While we were there we had the opportunity to talk about rural health priorities with the following: