Des Moines, IA – Governor Kim Reynolds and the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) today highlighted the recent federal approval of Iowa’s Graduate Medical Education (GME) expansion, announced additional awardees through Iowa’s Healthy Hometowns Project, and unveiled a new suite of interactive public dashboards designed to provide transparency into program investments and outcomes across the state.
Iowa has secured approximately $49.5 million in additional annual federal funding to expand physician residency training programs across all 13 of the state’s teaching hospitals. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) approved the expansion of Iowa’s Graduate Medical Education (GME) program on June 5, creating a significant opportunity to strengthen Iowa’s healthcare workforce pipeline.
Once fully implemented, the expansion is expected to support more than 128 additional physicians in training statewide. Because physicians often choose to practice where they complete their residency training, the expansion will help address provider shortages, particularly in rural and underserved communities, while improving access to care for Iowans across the state.
The Healthy Hometowns award announcements support the Combat Cancer Health Hub Program, Best and Brightest – Workforce Recruitment, and Best and Brightest – Equipment initiatives, all funded through the CMS Rural Health Transformation Program.
Iowa HHS announced the following awardees for the Combat Cancer Health Hub Program.
- Ottumwa Regional Health Center
- Wayne County Hospital
- Shenandoah Medical Center
- Greater Regional Medical Center
- Mary Greely Medical Center
The Combat Cancer Health Hub Program establishes hub-and-spoke networks of cancer care across Iowa, supporting partnerships, telehealth, workforce recruitment, equipment purchases, and other investments that expand access to cancer care in rural communities.
Iowa HHS also announced 58 awardees through the Best and Brightest Rural Healthcare Workforce Recruitment and 42 for Best and Brightest Medical Equipment. Award information can be found at https://hhs.iowa.gov/about/funding-opportunities.
“Today’s announcement reflects our commitment to getting these dollars into the hands of Iowa health care providers who are working with us to improve health care access, delivery, and outcomes in rural communities across the state,” said Governor Reynolds. “The new dashboards also give Iowans a clear view of how these investments are strengthening health care across the state.”
In addition to announcing the awardees, Iowa HHS launched a new set of interactive dashboards that allow the public, providers, and community stakeholders to track Healthy Hometowns investments and outcomes across Iowa. These dashboards are designed to strengthen transparency and trust by giving Iowans a clear view of how funds are allocated, where dollars are being spent, and the measurable impact these investments are having in communities across the state. The dashboards provide user‑friendly access to program data, reinforcing HHS’s commitment to open government and responsible stewardship of taxpayer resources.
“These dashboards represent a major step forward in transparency and accountability,” said Iowa HHS Director Larry Johnson. “As we continue awarding funds through Healthy Hometowns, we want Iowans to be able to see where investments are being made and how they are helping expand access to care.”
The new dashboards include:
- Budget by Initiative
- Awards by County
- Best and Brightest Medical Equipment by County
- Best and Brightest Workforce Recruitment Type by County
- Centers of Excellence Specialty Areas by County
For more information about Iowa’s Rural Health Transformation Project (Healthy Hometowns) and to explore the new interactive dashboards, visit: hhs.iowa.gov/HealthyHometowns.
