Delta Region Community Health Systems Development Program

Delta Region Community Health Systems Development Program is sponsored by HRSA. Aims to strengthen health care systems in the Delta region, enhancing services for underserved communities.

Delta Region Community Health Systems Development (DRCHSD) Program | National Rural Health Resource Center The Delta Region of the U.S. — which includes parts of eight states (Alabama, Arkansas, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri and Tennessee) — is known as one of the most historic and culturally rich parts of the country.

But it’s also an area that has a history of economic and social challenges, including access to quality health care.

Since 2017, the Delta Region Community Health Systems Development (DRCHSD) Program — funded by the Health Resources and Services Administration’s Federal Office of Rural Health Polic y, in partnership with the Delta Regional Authority , and administered by the National Rural Health Resource Center — has worked to maintain the stability of the region’s health care facilities, ensuring rural residents have much-needed access to care.

The DRCHSD Program works with health care leaders and providers to identify their community’s health care needs and strengthen health care delivery through direct support in the areas of financial and operational efficiency, quality improvement, telehealth, community care coordination, population health, emergency medical services, and workforce recruitment and retention.

There's always something new on the horizon that you need to change and adapt for; the Delta Program helped us grow financially to be more sustainable so that we can adapt in the future. That fresh set of eyes has been invaluable.

Lisa Twidwell, CEO, Madison Medical Center Over a three-year period, participating hospitals, clinics and other health care organizations and their communities receive a range of technical assistance services — one-on-one consultations with subject matter experts, assistance in developing a community care coordination plan, participation in assessments and feasibility studies, guidance in developing and implementing telehealth services, and access to educational and training sessions — all provided at no cost and with the goal of helping the organizations to make in-depth health systems enhancements to implement best practices, build partnerships, and collaborate for sustainability.

Since the program’s inception, 68 health care organizations have participated. The Delta Region Community Health Systems Development Program supports participating health care organizations and their communities as they make in-depth health system enhancements. Participants in the Delta Region Community Health Systems Development Program's 2022 cohort increased their net patient revenue and total operating revenue by an average of 9.

8%. Moreover 89% improved financial position and quality of care. DRCHSD 2026 Clinic Webinar: Importance of Biennial Review This webinar will review what clinics need to accomplish not only to remain compliant, but also to decrease their risk of significant findings during their recertification surveys.

DRCHSD Financial Improvement Webinar See It. Know It. Act on It: Moving Beyond the Spreadsheet to Data-Driven Decision Making DRCHSD 2026 Quality Webinar This webinar will show healthcare leaders how to translate clinical quality metrics into actionable strategies that reduce costs, improve reimbursement, and drive improved patient outcomes.

DRCHSD 2026 Service Line Development Webinar This webinar will present strategies that can be implemented by rural healthcare organizations to implement new or expand existing service lines in a cost effective manner.

Carmen Cooper-Oguz, MBA, DPT, FACHE Delta Region Health Systems Development Program Director The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) provided financial support for this Delta Region Community Health Systems Development Project. The award provided 100% of total costs and totaled $10,047,725. The contents are those of the author.

They may not reflect the policies of HRSA, HHS, or the U.S. Government. As a technical assistance provider to rural health care organizations, the National Rural Health Resource Center provides access to a wide range of resources on relevant topics.

Inclusion on the National Rural Health Resource Center’s webpage or presentations does not imply endorsement of, or agreement with, the contents by the National Rural Health Resource Center or the Health Resources and Services Administration.