Sunshine Health Awards $50,000 in Grants to Strengthen Rural Health Care Access in Florida
Date: 09/01/26
Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Sunshine Health, a company of Centene Corporation (NYSE: CNC), has awarded $50,000 in grants to support rural health providers’ use of technology to proactively engage patients and improve health outcomes.
Five providers were each awarded $10,000 grants to fund projects that enhance timely access to care, strengthen care coordination, and reduce avoidable emergency department visits.
"We're thrilled to help providers bolster and expand their work to engage our health plan members in rural areas," said Charlene Zein, president and CEO of Sunshine Health. "Their smart, practical use of technology will improve the lives of people in some of the state's most vulnerable communities."
Grantees will use the funding to upgrade core technology, integrate new workflows with existing electronic health record systems, and train clinical teams to proactively engage high-risk patients. Our grantees are:
Organization | Location | Use of Funds |
|---|---|---|
Calhoun-Liberty Hospital Association | Blountstown | Patient engagement tools integrated with their electronic health platform to improve communication, reduce care gaps, enhance preventive care, and support remote monitoring for patients with chronic conditions. |
Doctors’ Memorial Hospital | Perry | Telehealth tools, remote patient monitoring, and population health tools to sharpen communication with patients, address chronic conditions, and help identify high-risk patients early. |
Palm Glades Rural Health Associates | Belle Glade | Telehealth, remote patient monitoring, and AI chatbots to improve patient engagement and close care gaps. |
Northwest Florida Healthcare, Inc. | Chipley, Graceville, Bonifay | Telehealth, remote patient monitoring, patient-engagement tools, and data-care management tools to improve patient involvement in their own care while also strengthening communication between patients and providers. |
Sunrise Family Practice, LLC. | Okeechobee | Implementation of a variety of technology tools to allow the practice to more quickly identify, reach, and support high-risk rural patients. |
The Northwest Florida Community Hospital (NFCH) is excited to expand its telehealth services and fortify its electronic health record platform.
“By leveraging technology to provide continuous, patient-centered care, NFCH can expand access and create a more connected, responsive healthcare system for the rural population it serves,” said Ellie Lawson, NFCH’s physician practice director.
Ashley Biddy, interim chief executive officer of Doctors’ Memorial Hospital, said the grant will allow her staff to identify rural patients’ health challenges earlier and prevent patients from unnecessary travel.
"We are incredibly grateful to Sunshine Health for investing in the health of our rural communities,” Biddy said. “This investment supports our commitment to improving health outcomes and ensuring high-quality healthcare remains accessible close to home for the communities we are privileged to serve."
About Sunshine Health
With offices across Florida, Sunshine Health is among the largest healthcare plans in Florida. Offering coordinated care and a network of support for our members, Sunshine Health is transforming the health of the community, one person at a time. We offer government-sponsored managed care through Medicaid, Long Term Care, the Health Insurance Marketplace (Ambetter Health), and Medicare Advantage and Prescription Drug Plans (Wellcare). Our specialty plans include the Sunshine Health Pathways to Shine Specialty Plan serving children in or adopted from the state's Child Welfare system; the Sunshine Health Mindful Pathways Specialty Plan for people living with serious mental illness; the Sunshine Health Power to Thrive Specialty Plan for people living with HIV/AIDS; and the Children's Medical Services Health Plan, operated by Sunshine Health on behalf of the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration for children and adolescents with special healthcare needs. Sunshine Health is a Centene Corporation company. For more information, visit SunshineHealth.com or follow us on Facebook and X @SunHealthFL.
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