Rural Health Collaborative

Purpose 

The University of Texas Health Intelligence Platform (UT-HIP) Rural Health Collaborative is a statewide initiative dedicated to expanding access to high-quality, sustainable healthcare for the millions of Texans living in rural communities. 

Rural populations face a disproportionate burden of chronic disease, including diabetes, cardiovascular disease, heart failure, chronic kidney disease, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). At the same time, these communities continue to navigate persistent physician shortages, limited access to specialty care, transportation barriers, and ongoing rural hospital instability. 

The Collaborative brings together clinical partners, technology infrastructure, operational expertise, academic leadership, and advanced artificial intelligence capabilities to transform how healthcare is delivered in rural settings. In partnership with UT-REAL Health AI, the initiative is leveraging data science, predictive analytics, and AI-enabled clinical intelligence to support more proactive, connected, and scalable models of rural care delivery. 

Rather than relying on fragmented and reactive models of care, the initiative is building coordinated systems that enable: 

• Earlier identification of high-risk patients 

• More proactive and continuous chronic disease management 

• Stronger integration between local providers and statewide resources 

• Improved access to specialty expertise and data-driven decision support 

• AI-enabled population health insights and predictive care strategies 

By aligning partners across the UT System — including UT Health Houston, UTMB, UT Austin, UT Tyler, and statewide innovation initiatives such as UT-REAL Health AI — the Collaborative serves as a central hub for advancing practical, scalable solutions that improve health outcomes, strengthen rural healthcare systems, and support long-term sustainability across Texas. 

Strategic Goals 

Expand Access to Chronic Disease Care 

Improve the detection, management, and long-term outcomes of high-burden chronic conditions—particularly diabetes and cardiovascular disease—through proactive, community-based care models tailored to rural populations. 

Modernize Rural Care Delivery 

Integrate pharmacist-led care coordination, remote patient monitoring (RPM), digital health infrastructure, community-based workforce support, and AI-enabled clinical intelligence to extend care beyond traditional clinical settings and improve continuity of care. 

Build a Statewide Connected Infrastructure 

Develop integrated data, technology, AI, and operational frameworks that enable real-time clinical insights, coordinated care delivery, predictive analytics, and scalable implementation across rural regions throughout Texas. 

Scale High-Impact Solutions Across Texas 

Launch and expand the Texas Rural Health Intelligence Network (Tx-RHIN) to replicate successful care models, support rural health systems, and drive measurable clinical, operational, and financial outcomes statewide. 

Focus Areas 

The Collaborative prioritizes high-impact clinical domains and system-level challenges that significantly influence rural health outcomes: 

• Diabetes Management 

• Cardiovascular Health 

• Chronic Disease Coordination 

• Remote Patient Monitoring 

• Rural Access & Workforce Enablement 

• AI-Enabled Population Health & Predictive Analytics 

• Data-Driven Population Health Strategies 

Rural Health Collaborative Leaders 

Chair: Bentley Bobrow, Vice President of Healthcare Innovation, Executive Lead for Rural Health Strategy and Implementation, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston 

Vice Chair: Xiaoqian Jiang, Associate Vice President for Medical AI, Chair, Department of Health Data Science and Artificial Intelligence, Christopher Sarofim Professor, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston