Health information exchange will connect opioid treatment programs, community pharmacies and care teams across western Colorado

DENVER, Nov. 5, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Contexture will participate in the Colorado STREAM Rural Health Network, an initiative led by Denver Recovery Group (DRG), the award recipient and lead grantee of a $4,939,342.45 award through Colorado's Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP). As a STREAM partner, Contexture will provide health information exchange (HIE) technology and interoperability support to connect opioid treatment programs, community pharmacies and care teams across rural and mountain communities in western Colorado.

The funding is part of nearly $170 million in RHTP grants directed by the Colorado Department of Health Care Policy & Financing (HCPF) to rural healthcare providers. Funded by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), these investments are intended to protect access to care and support better health outcomes in Colorado's rural and frontier communities.

STREAM, which stands for Strengthening Treatment, Referral, Engagement, Access & Medication Management, will establish a hub and spoke network connecting five DRG opioid treatment program locations with nine community pharmacy locations. The network is designed to bring treatment, telehealth services, referrals, patient navigation and coordinated services closer to rural communities, where long travel distances, transportation barriers and fragmented care can make treatment difficult to access.

As an early implementation effort, STREAM will allow participating organizations to learn from a model connecting opioid treatment programs, community pharmacies, care teams, and health information infrastructure. Lessons from implementation and evaluation may help inform opportunities to expand successful approaches during future years of RHTP.

As a partner, Contexture will assess interoperability needs, support workflow planning, and establish HIE connectivity through access to its PatientCare 360® Portal for participating locations. This work will support patient identification and appropriate workflows for consent, privacy, security, and information sharing. Through the PatientCare 360 Portal, authorized care teams will be able to access available patient information to support care coordination, telehealth services and referral management.

The project will also provide insights into how HIE can support opioid use disorder treatment in community settings. Contexture will work with participating organizations to develop consent and information sharing workflows designed to support appropriate handling of substance use disorder patient records and compliance with applicable privacy requirements, including 42 CFR Part 2.

"STREAM brings together rural providers, community pharmacies and healthcare partners around a shared goal of making coordinated care more accessible," said Jackie Sievers, Chief Growth Officer at Contexture. "We are excited to help participating organizations establish secure information sharing and practical workflows that meet the needs of their care teams and communities. This effort will allow us to learn alongside our partners and build a foundation that may inform future rural health initiatives."

STREAM is being implemented through collaboration among DRG, participating community pharmacies, University of Colorado Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, The Steadman Group, CPESN Colorado, Colorado Pharmacists Society, Contexture and other participating organizations. Together, the partners will contribute clinical, operational, pharmacy, evaluation and information sharing expertise.

Colorado is directing $169,587,181 in RHTP grants to rural healthcare providers across the state. Through a highly competitive application process, 91 applicants and approximately 250 projects were selected to receive funding across 52 rural or frontier counties and three rural census tract counties.

A complete list of Colorado Rural Health Transformation Program awardees and additional information about RHTP is available on the RHTP website.

About Contexture
Contexture is a nonprofit, regional organization that provides strategic, technical, and administrative support to communities committed to advancing health through information sharing. With headquarters in Denver and Phoenix, its mission is to advance individual and community health and wellness through the delivery of actionable information and analysis. Learn more at contexture.org.

About the Rural Health Transformation Program
The Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP) is a five-year federal initiative administered by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) designed to strengthen healthcare access and improve health outcomes in rural and frontier communities. The program supports investments in workforce development, innovative care models, technology-enabled services, and health system sustainability. The program was authorized under Section 71401 of H.R. 1 (Public Law 119-21) to provide grants totaling $50 billion in federal funding nationwide from Federal Fiscal Year (FFY) 2026 through FFY 2030.

From the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
Colorado's award totals $200,105,604.17 for the first year of the program to support rural health transformation efforts across the state, and is 100% funded by CMS. The contents of this release are those of Contexture and the Colorado Department of Health Care Policy & Financing and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement by, CMS/HHS or the U.S. Government.

Media Contact:
Liana Walsh
Vice President, Marketing & Communications
Contexture
(720) 285-3219
425877@email4pr.com

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SOURCE Contexture