PARADIGM program to serve as anchor for Homeward’s new Advanced Research Program initiative

February 12, 2025 10:15 AM Eastern Standard Time

SAN FRANCISCO–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Homeward^®, a company committed to rearchitecting the delivery of health and care in partnership with communities everywhere, starting in rural America, today announced it has been awarded up to $12 million in research funding to serve as a lead performer for The Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H) Platform Accelerating Rural Access to Distributed and InteGrated Medical Care (PARADIGM) program. The program is a 5-year project to develop a scalable mobile platform that can bring sophisticated medical services – including perinatal care, advanced wound care, and more – outside of a hospital setting to the doorstep of even the most remote, rural populations.

“Rural America faces some of the greatest healthcare challenges in our country, with higher mortality rates and limited access to essential care due to a shortage of hospitals, specialty clinics, and healthcare workers,” said Homeward Co-Founder and President Amar Kendale. “At Homeward, our mission is to rearchitect the delivery of health and care in partnership with communities in rural America, and the PARADIGM program is a critical step in advancing this mission. With the rapid rise of artificial intelligence and other health technologies, we have an opportunity to bring advanced medical services and specialty care directly to those who need it most – with the potential to leapfrog other markets – ensuring no community is left behind.”

PARADIGM is funding part of Homeward’s Advanced Research Program, a cornerstone effort to advance healthcare solutions for rural communities where access is limited. As AI and health technology continue to evolve, rural healthcare providers often face significant barriers to adoption due to lack of solutions designed for their unique needs. Homeward’s new research and development initiative will bring technology that is specifically adapted to the needs of rural communities so that it will make a real difference in peoples’ lives, in partnership with rural providers, academic centers and other community stakeholders. Research and development projects led through Homeward’s Advanced Research Program are designed to make health technology more accessible, equitable and impactful for the millions of Americans living in rural areas.

“Solving the rural healthcare crisis requires new approaches and ideas designed with rural communities in mind, which is the driving force behind Homeward’s Advanced Research Program,” said Vice President of Advanced Research Programs at Homeward Fred Barrigar. “Through initiatives like PARADIGM, we’re developing and testing solutions with partners in rural communities where traditional healthcare models fall short. From improving how treatments are delivered to advancing diagnostic tools, our goal is to create scalable innovations that improve care delivery and accessibility in rural communities.”

The PARADIGM program anchors this initiative by addressing all three of the Advanced Research Program’s focus areas: workforce transformation, advanced therapeutic delivery, and distributed diagnostics. The project will focus on defining clinical services, collaborating with technology partners to develop and implement solutions, and conducting clinical research studies with subcontractor grant organizations, including the University of Minnesota and Mobile Health Map (MHM) at Harvard Medical School.

MHM is a national collaborative that helps mobile clinics measure, improve, and communicate their impact. MHM will focus on ensuring the PARADIGM care delivery model reflects the real-world needs of rural communities. The University of Minnesota will serve as a co-principal investigator, leading efforts to evaluate the PARADIGM program’s clinical effectiveness and effect on reducing healthcare disparities.

“The University of Minnesota is proud to partner with Homeward and advance the PARADIGM program to understand how we might best deliver care to rural communities in Minnesota,” said Associate Professor of Medicine at the University of Minnesota and faculty in the Program for Health Disparities Research Dr. Elizabeth Rogers, who is leading the evaluation of this project. “Research is critical to understanding what works and its impact so we can improve care delivery in meaningful ways. By turning insights into thoughtful programs, we aim to eliminate the healthcare disparities that rural communities have faced for far too long.”

About Homeward

Homeward is rearchitecting the delivery of health and care for rural Americans by partnering with payers, providers, and community organizations. By taking full financial accountability for clinical outcomes and the total cost of care across rural counties, Homeward aligns incentives and strengthens local healthcare ecosystems. The Homeward Navigation™ platform uses advanced analytics to connect members to the right care and local resources that address social determinants of health and improve holistic health outcomes. Since many rural communities lack adequate clinical capacity, Homeward employs care teams that supplement local practices and reach people who cannot access care otherwise. As a public benefit corporation and B Corp™ certified company, Homeward’s mission and business model are aligned to address the healthcare, economic, and demographic challenges that make it harder for rural Americans to stay healthy. For more information, please visit www.homewardhealth.com.

Contacts

Homeward Press Contact:
press@homewardhealth.com

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