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What the report found
The Health Resources and Services Administration released results from its Rural Maternity and Obstetrics Management Strategies program, which funded three rural maternal health networks from September 2021 through August 2025. Together, the networks served more than 8,600 women.
The networks did not rely on a single fix. They combined telehealth, remote patient monitoring, patient navigation, group prenatal care and doula services to work around provider shortages and long travel distances. The networks reported better rates of first-trimester prenatal care, more women completing postpartum visits and improved infant health outcomes.
Why it matters now
Rural obstetric services remain fragile. Many small hospitals struggle to staff a delivery unit around the clock, and closures leave women driving long distances for routine and emergency care. The question for leaders is no longer only whether to keep a birthing unit open, but how to build a network that supports pregnant patients across the whole episode of care.
Congress is also paying attention. On July 22, the Senate HELP Committee advanced the Rural Obstetrics Readiness Act, which would fund grants to prepare rural facilities for obstetric emergencies, create a teleconsultation pilot for urgent maternal care and direct HHS to study rural unit closures. The AHA supports the bill.
What rural hospital leaders can take from it
- Think in networks. Partner with a regional referral center for teleconsultation, transfer protocols and shared training rather than going it alone.
- Prepare the emergency department. Hospitals without labor units still see deliveries and obstetric emergencies. Drills, supplies and clear transfer agreements are essential.
- Invest in navigation. Navigators and doulas can address missed appointments and transportation gaps at relatively low cost.
- Use remote monitoring. Blood pressure monitoring after delivery can catch dangerous complications early.
- Track the right measures. First-trimester care and postpartum visit completion are clear signals of whether the model is working.
Rural Health Transformation Program funds and pending federal grants may help pay for these steps. Leaders should be ready with a plan when those dollars become available.
Archive entry for Jul 27, 2026, added Nov. 11, 2026.