SCC-IRG Track 1: REACH: Rural intEgrAtive Connected Healthcare

The project aims to tackle the pressing issue of behavioral health disorders in rural East Tennessee, where high rates of mental health and substance use disorders are compounded by a lack of healthcare resources and geographic isolation. Rural East Tennessee accounts for a significant portion of the state’s drug overdose deaths, highlighting the critical need for innovative healthcare solutions.

By leveraging advanced, science-driven, and socially informed smart tools, this project seeks to bridge the gap between dispersed healthcare providers and rural residents in need. The broader significance of this project lies in its potential to enhance healthcare access and equity, particularly in underserved communities. By connecting traditionally isolated stakeholders and optimizing healthcare delivery through innovative technologies, this research advances health, safety, and well-being across communities.

This project not only addresses critical health challenges but also sets the stage for transformative advancements in healthcare delivery, with implications that extend to other areas such as emergency response and food distribution. By involving community members in the research process, it aims to foster public scientific literacy and empower individuals to advocate for novel healthcare practices within their communities.

This project will focus on four key research thrusts to achieve its goals. First, it will develop predictive models to assess risks, vulnerabilities, and healthcare service demands related to behavioral health disorders in rural communities. These data-driven models will help identify areas of greatest need and inform targeted interventions.

Second, it will gather and analyze social perceptions and public concerns regarding novel healthcare delivery methods through comprehensive surveys, interviews, and focus group discussions. This aims to enhance the utilization of new healthcare services by understanding and addressing community concerns. Third, it will create new healthcare service paradigms by scheduling and coordinating mobile resources, such as mobile clinics and drones, to meet patient needs while considering operational and regulatory constraints.

This innovative approach seeks to safely and efficiently deliver healthcare services, considering patients’ preferences and providers’ logistical limitations. Finally, these elements will be integrated into a Rural intEgrAtive Connected Healthcare (REACH) software platform, which will be piloted in collaboration with local community stakeholders.

Through the multidisciplinary approach, the project aims to establish a robust foundation for groundbreaking mobile-connected delivery systems, thereby advancing health equity and public health outcomes and contributing to the creation of smart, connected, and inclusive communities that cater to the needs of vulnerable populations.

This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.