Aligning Your Clinics to Succeed in the Rural Health Transformation Program

The Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP) advances key physical and behavioral health objectives as identified by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Aligning your organization with CMS priorities positions rural providers for success when applying for subgrant funding and participating in Rural Health HUB partnerships.

The RHTP principles promote the American College of Lifestyle Medicine’s (ACLM) Six Pillars of Lifestyle Medicine, with many states incorporating ACLM-trained professionals to support program design and implementation. These pillars focus on evidence-based lifestyle interventions proven to prevent, manage, and even reverse chronic conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, depression, and obesity.

The ACLM Six Pillars:

1. Nutrition
2. Physical Activity
3. Stress Management
4. Restorative Sleep
5. Social Connectedness
6. Avoidance of Risky Substances

The CMS RHTP grant requirements include achieving and maintaining specific key performance indicators (KPIs) to maintain funding throughout the 5-year period. Rural health organizations that strategically align programming with CMS focus areas are best positioned to thrive under alternative payment models and value-based care arrangements.

Expanding/growing workforce capacity, and building integrated mental health and substance use programs, including incorporating lifestyle medicine concepts, such as “Food as Medicine” allow organizations to impact multiple KPIs simultaneously across:

• Mental health outcomes
• Chronic disease management
• Quality performance measures
• Workforce development
• Financial sustainability indicators

Expanding access through technology, mobile health units, home visits, and shared clinical spaces reduces per-patient costs and strengthens interdisciplinary team-based care. Additionally, optimizing risk adjustment and claims coding improves reimbursement accuracy and ensures appropriate compensation for all care team members.

Research demonstrates that programs addressing multiple health behaviors simultaneously achieve stronger and more sustained clinical outcomes. Engaging families, spouses/partners, and broader community networks further enhances long-term success and community-wide impact.

SunHawk Consulting – We Can Help

SunHawk consultants bring more than 20 years of experience supporting Rural Health Clinics (RHCs), Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs), Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs), Community Health Centers (CHCs), School-Based Health Centers (SBHCs), primary care practices, behavioral health providers, and other rural organizations in developing and strengthening integrated care models.

Our expertise supports rural providers in delivering essential, high-quality care within their communities.

Examples of Our Services:

• Grant proposal writing and strategy
• Substance use and co-occurring disorder program development
• Integrated behavioral and primary care model implementation
• Quality Assurance and Performance Improvement (QAPI) program development and evaluation
• Compliance program development and auditing
• Project and program management
• Healthcare information management and medical records optimization
• Healthcare compliance, privacy, and security programs
• Governance support and interim leadership

Contact us to learn how SunHawk can help you leverage RHTP opportunities to strengthen long-term financial sustainability while improving clinical quality and community outcomes. We’re ready to support your strategic planning and implementation needs.

Brigita Landstrom, MHS, CPHQ, CAS
Director
SunHawk Consulting

Brigita Fody Landstrom has 25 years of Medicare/Medicaid managed care, Community Health Center Quality, and large hospital and healthcare systems experience. Passionate about population health, Brigita has dedicated her career to serving the health of communities, with extra attention on traditionally marginalized populations. Brigita has worked with leaders and regulators within multiple market segments on data-driven systems improvement, large-scale health program implementation, grant writing, risk contracting, budget development, policy development, and staff training and support.