Collaborative Rural Healthcare Delivery Through Innovative Readiness Training and Operation Health and Wellness: An Interprofessional Primary Care Model.

BackgroundRural communities face persistent barriers to healthcare access, including workforce shortages, limited specialty services, and medication access constraints. Innovative Readiness Training (IRT), a Department of Defense program, partners with local communities to provide healthcare services while supporting military medical training. In Nueces County, Texas, the program evolved into a community-led initiative, Operation Health and Wellness (OHW).MethodsThis project was approved by the IRB, and a descriptive observational analysis was conducted using program data from 2021-2025. Data sources included patient registration logs, clinical service documentation, pharmacy dispensing records, and site activity reports. Outcomes included patient volume, service intensity, and pharmacy utilization.ResultsFrom 2021-2025, 6,248 patients received care. Patient volume declined following the transition from military-supported IRT (2021-2023) to community-led OHW (2024-2025). However, services per patient increased from 2.63 (2021) to 4.56 (2024), indicating deeper clinical engagement. Pharmacy integration persisted despite formulary and funding changes.ConclusionThe IRT/OHW initiative demonstrates a sustainable, interprofessional rural healthcare delivery model integrating pharmacists, nurse practitioners, military clinicians, and academic partners. The model offers a scalable framework for rural primary care access and experiential education. This study further examines the role of interprofessional primary care teams in enhancing care delivery, pharmacy integration, and sustainability within rural healthcare systems.