The Office of Rural Health works to improve access to high-quality health care services in Florida’s communities by:

  • Establishing and maintaining a clearinghouse to collect and share information on rural health issues, research findings relating to rural health care, and innovative approaches to health care delivery.
  • Coordinating rural health activities statewide, including efforts to prevent duplication of services.
  • Identifying federal, state, and non-governmental rural health programs and providing technical assistance to public and private entities.

RURAL DEFINITIONS

Florida Statutes defines a rural community as:

  1. County or municipality with a population of 75,000 or fewer
  2. County or municipality with a population of 125,000 or fewer which is contiguous to a county with a population of 75,000 or fewer
  3. Unincorporated federal enterprise community or an incorporated rural city with a population of 25,000 or fewer and an employment base focused on traditional agricultural or resource-based industries, located in a county not defined as rural, which has at least three or more of the economic distress factors identified in paragraph (c) and verified by the department.

A rural area of opportunity is community, or a region composed of rural communities, designated by the Governor, which has been adversely affected by an extraordinary economic event, severe or chronic distress, or a natural disaster or that presents a unique economic development opportunity of regional impact, per Florida Statutes.

Florida’s Rural Counties
Florida CountyPopulation
Baker28,259
Bradford28,303
Calhoun13,648
Columbia69,698
Desoto33,976
Dixie16,759
Franklin12,451
Gadsden43,826
Gilchrist17,864
Glades12,126
Gulf14,192
Hamilton14,004
Hardee25,327
Hendry39,619
Highlands101,235
Holmes19,653
Jackson47,319
Jefferson14,510
Lafayette8,226
Levy42,915
Liberty7,974
Madison17,968
Monroe82,874
Nassau90,352
Okeechobee39,644
Putnam73,321
Sumter129,752
Suwannee43,474
Taylor21,796
Union16,147
Wakulla33,764
Walton75,305
Washington25,318
Source: Florida Office of Economic and Demographic Research, 2020 Census County and Cities Profiles (PL 94-171)
Current Activities
  • Medicare Rural Hospital Flexibility (Flex) Program
    Provides funding to support quality and financial improvement consultation for small rural hospitals designated as critical access hospitals (CAHs).
  • Small Rural Hospital Improvement Program (SHIP)
    Provides funding to small rural hospitals to help them transition to value-based reimbursement, payment bundling, and participation in accountable care organizations.
  • Rural Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Support
    Contracts with the Florida Association of Rural EMS Providers to provide enhanced training to EMS personnel in rural areas as a way to address high turnover rates.
  • Rural Health Networks and Local Health Councils
    Works with rural health networks and local health councils to ensure coordination of the Department’s rural health care activities, programs, and policies.
Resources