New findings highlight stronger health outcomes and administrative savings statewide; set a standard for strategic Rural Health Transformation Funding (RHTF) initiatives

Unite Us, the nation’s trusted technology partner for integrating health and community-based care, released results from a new evaluation of Missouri’s Transformation of Rural Community Health (ToRCH) program. Supported by Missouri Medicaid and powered by Unite Us infrastructure, the ToRCH program demonstrates how hospital-led, community-based care coordination can improve health outcomes, reduce costs, and mitigate administrative burden to help residents thrive across rural communities.

Through ToRCH, rural hospitals serve as regional hubs that connect patients to critical community services addressing non-medical drivers of health, including food access, transportation, housing, and more. Across six participating counties, the program has already generated measurable results:

• $27,000 in administrative cost savings
• 99% invoice acceptance rate
• 18% increase in timely behavioral health follow-up after emergency department visits
• 19.6% increase in individuals with controlled blood pressure
• 17 minutes saved per referral

“Rural health funding gives communities the chance to stop thinking in short-term fixes and start building for the future,” said Taylor Justice, CEO and Co-Founder of Unite Us. “ToRCH shows what’s possible when underfunded communities pair ingenuity with the right infrastructure. Missouri is proving that rural communities can cut costs and reduce inefficiencies, while building sustainable capacity that delivers value across the entire system."

A Blueprint for Scalable Rural Health Innovation

With rural health funding recently awarded via the Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP), the ToRCH program offers a replicable blueprint for states committed to optimizing their rural health funding.

The program, referenced by CMS as an example in the RHTP applications, demonstrates how rural communities can use data and technology to align incentives, leverage existing funding streams, and empower hospitals to integrate community care models in a sustainable way.

An Innovative Model for Rural Care Coordination

Since July 2024, six ToRCH hub hospitals have coordinated care for nearly 2,800 individuals through the Unite Us platform, connecting them to more than 900 community services. Sixty-six percent of referral activity was initiated directly by hub hospitals, reinforcing their role as anchors for cross-sector collaboration in rural settings.

“To hear the stories of the participants’ lives who have been impacted in a positive way—improving their health while also improving the financial health of the Missouri Medicaid program—that’s been very gratifying for my team,” said Kirk Mathews, Chief Transformation Officer at MO HealthNet.

Technology Driving Efficiency, Accountability, and Compliance

Beyond improving patient care, the ToRCH program demonstrates how centralized technology can reduce administrative complexity for providers and states alike. Survey results further underscore the model’s impact: 88% of respondents agreed that ToRCH improves overall patient care, and a majority reported reduced stress related to documentation and follow-up.

The full case study, Lighting the ToRCH: Powering Rural Health Transformation through a Hospital-Led Hub Approach, is available now. Read it here today.

About Unite Us

Founded in 2013 by Military Veterans, Unite Us is the nation’s premier technology provider for integrating health and community-based care. Our advanced product suite is used to proactively coordinate services using data-driven insights, streamline referral and case management, and facilitate eligibility assessments and reimbursements across government, healthcare, health plans, and community organizations. The first of its kind, our closed-loop referral system prioritizes privacy and dignity and has integrated data and analytics tools used to measure impact, optimize programs, and shape policy. With over 1.7M services, we host the nation’s largest network of community-based health and economic services dedicated to improving whole-person health. Learn more at UniteUs.com and LinkedIn.

About Missouri HealthNet

To learn more about Missouri’s ToRCH pilot, please visit: https://mydss.mo.gov/mhd/ToRCH

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260114004156/en/

“ToRCH shows what’s possible when underfunded communities pair ingenuity with the right infrastructure," said Taylor Justice, CEO and Co-Founder of Unite Us.