Welcome to the Oklahoma RISE 25 and 25 RHTP podcast. In this episode, the hosts lead a focused, operational conversation about the Transportation Expansion Initiative—the $10,818,000, five‑year investment designed to be the foundational enabler of Oklahoma’s Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP).

We unpack why transportation is not a logistics afterthought but the access layer that determines whether all other RHTP investments—telehealth, workforce development, data interoperability, and value‑based care—actually reach patients. The episode explains how the initiative is strategically placed under the care‑model innovation pillar and why solving rides to appointments is essential to reducing preventable emergency care and stabilizing fragile rural hospitals.

Key stakeholders discussed include representatives from state and regional partners who will carry the work forward: the Oklahoma Association of Regional Councils and the Oklahoma Department of Transportation. The episode also draws on lessons from a successful Southwest Oklahoma pilot model and explains how that pilot will be scaled statewide.

Key program elements are described in detail: a low‑bandwidth ride dispatch and scheduling platform built for rural connectivity; regional mobility navigators (starting with two in year one and expanding to eight by year five) to coordinate complex cases; a volunteer driver program targeted to reach 150 volunteers in year two and 300 by year five (with $350 per volunteer training and a 60%+ retention target); and an up‑front fleet purchase ($2,050,000 for 15 vans and five cutaway vehicles) paired with ongoing platform and operations funding.

The episode walks through timelines and governance milestones listeners need to watch: standing up an interagency working group in Q2 FY26, finishing and refining the Southwest pilot by Q3 FY26, phased regional rollout with statewide coverage aimed for Q3 FY28, and critical legal and funding commitments (the cross‑agency MOU and braided funding plan) that must be secured well before federal grant sunsets.

Listeners will hear the measurable goals and the top risks: the North Star metric of a 20% increase in preventive care visit completions in served communities, and the three execution failure points—volunteer recruitment and retention, low‑bandwidth technology reliability, and the complexity of weaving Medicaid, federal transit, VA, tribal, and hospital dollars into a sustainable braided funding model. The episode also highlights stark local context: 75 of 77 counties are designated health professional shortage areas, rural patients often travel up to 50 miles for care, and many critical access hospitals operate with deeply negative margins.

Finally, the episode closes with an action agenda for leaders: prioritize early governance discipline, invest in volunteer support and tech usability, and get legal funding agreements in place early. This conversation shows how a $10.8M targeted investment in transportation functions as an insurance policy for the hundreds of millions invested across RHTP—turning federal dollars into durable, practical access that improves outcomes and strengthens rural hospital finances. Listeners are invited to join the Oklahoma Rise 25 in 25 RHTP Task Force at Rise25in25.org or email info@rise25in25.org for more information. The Oklahoma Rise 25 and 25 RHTP Forum is produced and directed by Dr. Keley John Booth, MD.