Rural hospitals are vital to both community health and local economies, supporting 1 in 12 rural jobs and nearly $220 billion in economic activity nationwide. Yet many face growing financial pressures, workforce shortages, and aging infrastructure that put access to care and community stability at risk.
The Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) is demonstrating how telehealth partnerships can help stabilize rural hospitals today while building a more sustainable model for the future. In South Carolina, where more than a quarter of residents live in rural areas and nearly 30% of rural hospitals are at risk of closure, MUSC has spent nearly two decades partnering with over 40 hospitals to implement telehealth services such as telestroke, tele-ICU, virtual nursing, and behavioral health. These partnerships have increased admissions, reduced transfers and readmissions, and improved care quality for rural patients.
The Rural Hospital Telehealth Playbook draws on this experience to help rural hospital leaders use telehealth strategically. It introduces a practical maturity model with early, operational, and transformational stages across key implementation domains, offering actionable tactics and real-world examples, including a case study of MUSC Health Black River Medical Center, a “rural hospital of the future.”
Together, the Playbook serves as a practical resource for rural hospital leaders seeking to strengthen sustainability, expand access to care, and continue serving their communities.
