Rural communities continue to face growing health needs, but health organizations are often operating with limited staff, limited resources, and limited capacity. Collaboration between public health and healthcare organizations isn’t just beneficial in rural communities—it is often essential. These partnerships may be one of the most effective ways to strengthen local health systems and improve population health.

This article explores how rural-serving local health departments and healthcare organizations collaborate, why these partnerships matter, and the barriers and facilitators to successful collaborations.