Infirmary Health has received more than $5.3 million through the Alabama Rural Health Transformation Program to expand women’s health services, improve coordination between rural and regional healthcare providers, and train physicians in rural communities across southwest Alabama.
The grants are among 138 awards totaling more than $144 million announced Aug. 24, 2026, by Gov. Kay Ivey.
Connecting rural providers to regional care: $3.5 million
The largest single award, $3.5 million, will fund a regional referral and technology network connecting Infirmary Health with rural hospitals and clinics in Clarke, Mobile and Washington counties. The project is designed to strengthen secure information sharing, referral coordination and cybersecurity as patients move between local providers and regional specialty care.
Women’s health projects: more than $1.5 million
Two grants totaling more than $1.5 million target women’s health across the region. A $386,000 grant will establish the Rural Women’s Health Hub of Southwest Alabama in Clarke and Washington counties. A separate $1.12 million grant will launch the Women’s Access to Care Close to Home Initiative in Baldwin, Clarke, Conecuh and Escambia counties.
Planned services include a weekly women’s health clinic in Millry, expanded prenatal services in Jackson and a mobile, telehealth-enabled program through North Baldwin Infirmary — all aimed at letting women receive care closer to home instead of traveling long distances for routine services.
Building the rural physician pipeline: $342,147
A third award of $342,147 will fund the Infirmary Rural Physician Workforce Pipeline, establishing structured rural clinical rotations for internal medicine residents in Baldwin, Clarke, Escambia, Mobile and Washington counties. The program is designed to strengthen the physician pipeline and expand supervised clinical capacity in communities that often struggle to recruit and retain doctors.
‘Investing in the future of our communities’
“Investing in rural healthcare means investing in the future of our communities. Southwest Alabama has a strong healthcare foundation, and this funding allows Infirmary Health to build on it by expanding services and meeting the growing needs of the communities we serve,” said Scott Fenn, Senior Vice President — Strategy and Government Relations for Infirmary Health.
About the program
The Alabama Rural Health Transformation Program is administered by the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs and supported by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, with 100% of funding provided by CMS/HHS.
Infirmary Health is the largest not-for-profit, non-governmental healthcare system in Alabama. It comprises four hospitals, two post-acute care facilities, four ambulatory surgery centers, more than 60 physician practice locations and two freestanding emergency departments, along with other affiliates, and serves all counties along the Gulf Coast.