August 31, 2026
The Missouri Department of Social Services’ (DSS) Rural Health Transformation Office has issued a Request for Information (RFI) as it looks to expand virtual care in rural Missouri. This RFI seeks input from vendors to help shape two distinct tracks: (1) Remote Patient Monitoring for Maternal Care and (2) Telehealth Specialist Access for Rural Hospitals and Providers. The effort is part of the Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP), funded by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), and will help the state understand available solutions and inform its approach to expanding virtual care for rural communities.
For rural Missourians, virtual care can extend the reach of local healthcare beyond the walls of a hospital or clinic. The state is exploring solutions that can strengthen continuity of care and give rural hospitals access to specialist expertise to help more patients receive the right care locally.
The RFI focuses on two select pathways:
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Staying connected to maternal care between visits: Remote patient monitoring solutions can help rural providers monitor patients throughout pregnancy and the postpartum period, identify emerging risks earlier, and improve continuity of care
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Bringing specialist expertise into rural hospitals: Telehealth solutions can connect rural hospitals and providers with specialists for timely consultation and clinical guidance, strengthening local decision-making and helping reduce avoidable patient transfers
The state is interested in solutions that are scalable, practical to implement, and adaptable to the staffing, financial, and technical realities of rural healthcare settings. Responses will help the state understand available system capabilities, integration with existing systems, technical and security requirements, implementation approaches, pricing, and ongoing support.
Timing and Next Steps:
The full RFI and response instructions are available through the state. Vendors may respond to either the Remote Patient Monitoring for Maternal Care track or the Telehealth Specialist Access for Rural Hospitals and Providers track. Vendors interested in both tracks must submit a separate response for each.
The full RFI and response instructions are available through MissouriBUYS under bid number "0000000012SL".
Responses are due September 9 and should be submitted by email to the RFI point of contact, Steven Hoffman, at Steven.Hoffman@dss.mo.gov.
The Rural Health Transformation Program information provided by the Missouri Department of Social Services is supported by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of a financial assistance award totaling $216,276,817.66, with 100 percent funded by CMS/HHS. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement by, CMS/HHS, or the U.S. Government.
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