Trump Administration Announces $3.15 Million to Expand Pharmacy Connectivity Throughout Rural Ohio Communities

This federal investment will improve interoperability and management of patient healthcare coordination

The Trump Administration announced today that a $3.15 million investment is being delivered to strengthen pharmacy connectivity and improve care across rural communities in Ohio through the federal Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP). The investments will connect independent and retail pharmacies, federally qualified health centers, and outpatient hospital pharmacies across Ohio’s 73 rural counties to improve rural healthcare providers’ integrated access to critical prescription drug information.

The funding will support efforts to improve integrated access for rural healthcare providers to help address low rates of prescription drug monitoring program (PDMP) integration within electronic health records and pharmacy dispensing systems. This program will help Ohio prescribers and pharmacists avoid potentially life-threatening drug interactions and combat the occurrence of individuals fraudulently obtaining controlled substances from multiple healthcare providers. These investments build on the Administration’s $10 million in funding previously announced focused on workforce development to recruit, train, and retain healthcare workers across Ohio.

“President Trump understands that every American deserves high-quality healthcare, no matter where they live,” said Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. “We are putting resources directly into rural communities to strengthen the health workforce, modernize infrastructure, expand access, and bring care closer to home. We are giving states the flexibility to build solutions around the people they serve, while demanding accountability for results. That is how we strengthen rural health, improve the lives of patients and families, and Make America Healthy Again.”

“President Trump made a historic commitment to rural America, and these investments are turning that commitment into better care for patients in communities across Ohio,” said Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz. “This is what rural health transformation should look like: federal investment that is putting patients first, driving lasting improvements and expanding healthcare for the hardworking Americans who call these communities home.”

“We are very appreciative that the Trump Administration has prioritized the great need to improve healthcare in rural Ohio,” said Gov. Mike DeWine. “This award will further that goal and make a real difference in the lives of many Ohioans.”