Birmingham Obstetrics & Gynecology, P.C. has been selected as a recipient in the first funding round of the Alabama Rural Health Transformation Program (ARHTP), a statewide initiative aimed at strengthening healthcare access, quality and outcomes in rural communities. The practice was awarded $17,500 to connect its electronic health record system to Alabama One Health Record, the state's health information exchange. This investment is significant because it addresses a critical gap in maternity care coordination at a time when rural obstetrical services are disappearing across Alabama.
The need for new approaches to rural maternity care has become increasingly urgent. According to the Alabama Department of Public Health, 45 of Alabama's 55 counties currently classified as rural had hospitals providing obstetrical services in 1980. By 2025, that number had fallen to 15. This dramatic decline means that many women must travel outside their communities for prenatal, specialty, delivery, or postpartum care. For these patients, timely access to health information can help providers better coordinate care across different healthcare settings, reducing the risk of fragmented treatment and improving outcomes.
Governor Kay Ivey announced the award as part of the first round of ARHTP funding, which included 138 grants totaling more than $144 million to healthcare providers and organizations across Alabama. Birmingham OB/Gyn serves women from communities throughout the state, including many patients who travel outside their home counties for obstetrical and specialty women's healthcare. By connecting its Greenway PrimeSuite electronic health record to Alabama One Health Record, the practice will enable participating healthcare providers to securely access relevant patient information when women receive care in multiple settings during pregnancy, delivery, and postpartum care.
David Carmichael, CEO of Birmingham OB/Gyn, emphasized the broader implications of the project. "Birmingham OB/Gyn has cared for women from communities throughout Alabama for decades, and we increasingly recognize that improving women's healthcare requires better connections between rural and urban healthcare providers," Carmichael said. "This grant gives us an opportunity to strengthen those connections through Alabama's health information exchange and build infrastructure that can support better coordination of maternity care."
Carmichael also noted that the initiative represents more than a technological upgrade. "This is a relatively small technology investment with the potential to become part of something much larger," he said. "Our goal is not simply to connect another computer system. We want to create sustainable ways for independent specialists, rural hospitals and community providers to work together so women can receive more care closer to home while maintaining access to specialty services when needed."
The Alabama Rural Health Transformation Program is part of a broader effort to strengthen rural healthcare delivery through new models of care, workforce initiatives, technology, and collaboration. Alabama's rural-health policy framework recognizes approaches including shared clinical services, coordinated staffing, shared technology platforms, and coordinated service-line development as potential tools for improving rural healthcare. Birmingham OB/Gyn's project aligns with these goals by leveraging health information exchange to enhance care coordination.
"Every woman in Alabama deserves access to high-quality maternity care regardless of where she lives," Carmichael said. "We believe technology, collaboration and strong local healthcare networks can help make that possible."
Birmingham Obstetrics & Gynecology, P.C. is an independent women's healthcare practice providing comprehensive obstetrical and gynecological care to women from Birmingham and communities throughout Alabama. The practice is committed to advancing women's healthcare through high-quality specialty care, innovative technology, and collaborative partnerships that improve access, quality, and outcomes for women across Alabama. For more information, visit https://www.birminghamobgyn.com.
