|
View this as a webpage
Open Request for Proposal
The federal Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP) was created by H.R.1 (Section 71401 of Public Law 119-21) on July 4, 2025. It is a federal initiative to help states support rural communities in improving health care access, quality, and outcomes by transforming the health care delivery ecosystem. The RHTP focuses on promoting innovation, strategic partnerships, infrastructure development, and workforce investment in rural communities. Learn more about Minnesota's Rural Health Transformation Program.
Rural Telehealth Services
MDH is requesting proposals to conduct a needs assessment and develop a design proposal for a potential Rural Telehealth Services Center (RTSC) in Minnesota. The needs assessment will identify gaps in services for rural providers in connecting with peers and patients via telehealth. The subsequent design proposal will outline options for a Minnesota-based RTSC or alternative models that meet the identified needs.
The RTSC could coordinate and support regional telehealth needs, potentially in partnership with existing local telehealth hubs or providers. Focus areas for the RTSC could include:
- Address fragmentation and gaps in services to rural healthcare facilities, emergency medical services, and communities
- Facilitate connections to specialty services so patients can receive care close to home
- Building structures to support operations, such as staffing; providers; pathways toward community buy-in and stakeholder engagement; credentialing; and compliance with state and federal laws, licensure boards, and healthcare organization policies.
This request for proposal will serve the State of Minnesota in exploring the feasibility, structure, and potential development of a telehealth services center. The selected vendor will be responsible for conducting the needs assessment, developing RTSC design options, and producing all deliverables described in this solicitation.
This needs assessment and subsequent design for a Rural Telehealth Services does not need to focus on one centralized “center” or one origin point of the telehealth services, rather should identify what actions need to be taken in order to create linkages between providers and patients, providers and providers, and how to overcome the barriers.
The following vendor qualifications are desired:
- Located in Minnesota or have demonstrated familiarity with Minnesota’s health care telehealth landscape
- For-profit or not-for-profit entities that demonstrate extensive experience:
- Conducting needs assessments and evaluations
- Developing resources that support rural healthcare, especially in telehealth
- Developing the structure for coalitions around service delivery
- Organizations with sufficiently developed capacity and infrastructure to achieve the deliverables
Applicants will be selected based on their ability to complete proposed projects and evidence of experience in the proposed subject matter.
|
