Category: Newsletter Articles

We are delighted to welcome Zachary Kempf as our new Deputy Director serving our Missouri customers, bringing his exceptional local expertise to strengthen our nationwide organization.

Zach brings over a decade of distinguished public health experience from the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, where he most recently served as Chief of the Bureau of Data Modernization and Interoperability, leading transformative initiatives in health data exchange and surveillance systems. In this role, he successfully led the onboarding of over 5,000 vaccine providers to state systems using HL7 standards, demonstrating his proven ability to engage healthcare organizations and build the technical bridges necessary for successful interoperability. During this same time, Zach’s regulatory expertise and knowledge of both state and national data exchange policies led him to be invited to advise ONC and CDC on TEFCA implementation nationwide. His deep understanding of Missouri’s public health landscape, combined with his extensive experience in data modernization, data exchange, and interoperability standards, makes him perfectly positioned to enhance our services and support you.

Born and raised in mid-Missouri, Zach received his Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry and Master of Public Health degrees from the University of Missouri-Columbia. Residing in Columbia, Missouri, Zach is eager to take advantage of his central location to connect in-person, or virtually, with each of you.

Missouri’s innovative Transformation of Rural Community Health (ToRCH) pilot program has selected six rural hospitals to pioneer a new approach to addressing social determinants of health. This initiative offers valuable insights into how health information exchange capabilities can complement community care coordination efforts.

What is ToRCH?

The ToRCH pilot project represents a groundbreaking approach to rural healthcare, focusing on addressing social determinants of health that impact patients’ ability to maintain wellness and manage chronic conditions. Approved through Missouri’s 1915(b) waiver, this Primary Care Case Management model encourages collaboration between hospitals, primary care clinics, behavioral health providers, and community-based organizations.

The six selected hospitals are:

• Bothwell Regional Health Center in Sedalia, Missouri (Pettis County)
• Citizens Memorial Hospital in Bolivar, Missouri (Polk County)
• Golden Valley Memorial Healthcare in Clinton, Missouri (Henry County)
• Phelps Health in Rolla, Missouri (Phelps County)
• Ray County Memorial Hospital in Richmond, Missouri (Ray County)
• Salem Memorial District Hospital in Salem, Missouri (Dent County)

The Power of Combined Approaches

While ToRCH participants will utilize Unite Us’ Community Information Exchange (CIE) software to coordinate social services and community resources, hospitals with existing health information exchange capabilities are well-positioned to maximize the program’s impact.

The combination of clinical data sharing and social care coordination can:

• Support comprehensive care transitions between clinical and community-based services
• Enable more complete patient assessments that consider both medical and social factors
• Enhance population health monitoring across clinical and community interventions
• Facilitate better care team communication across diverse service providers

A Model for Rural Healthcare Innovation

As Department of Social Services Director Robert Knodell noted, ToRCH is “a groundbreaking initiative that empowers and encourages rural communities to collaborate to address healthcare-related social needs among their Medicaid population, with a focus on driving better health outcomes.”

This approach recognizes that effective rural healthcare requires both robust clinical information sharing and strong community partnerships—elements that Missouri’s health information exchange networks and community organizations are uniquely positioned to support together.

Looking Ahead

As ToRCH aims to reduce avoidable hospitalizations and emergency department visits while improving population health outcomes, the program demonstrates the value of integrated approaches to health information sharing and care coordination.

Future ToRCH cohorts may be launched every 2-3 years, offering additional opportunities for Missouri’s healthcare networks to collaborate in supporting rural community health transformation.

Velatura is committed to supporting innovative approaches to population health and care coordination. Learn more about how Velatura can support your organization by contacting our team today.

Community Engagement Validates “AI First for People” Approach

Velatura Public Benefit Corporation recently hosted a community event showcasing how artificial intelligence can eliminate healthcare communication barriers, bringing together 40 community members to experience our innovative approach firsthand.

The event highlighted a critical healthcare challenge: 48% of adults with limited English proficiency experience language barriers in healthcare settings, with 34% struggling to fill out healthcare forms and 33% having difficulty communicating with medical office staff. These barriers can lead to misdiagnoses, medication errors, and inadequate treatment outcomes across all communities.

Technology That Serves Communities

The centerpiece of the event featured our Consent Manager+ technology, built using custom-trained AI models from the UAE’s open-source Falcon Large Language Model. Unlike traditional translation services, our approach incorporates Reinforcement Learning with Human Feedback to deliver culturally authentic interactions that preserve both medical accuracy and cultural context.

Amber Weeks, AI Program Manager, led an interactive workshop that allowed attendees to experience how AI can facilitate more effective communication between patients and healthcare providers. The hands-on approach demonstrated our core philosophy: technology should serve people, not the other way around.

Scalable Healthcare Innovation

Dr. Tim Pletcher, Chief Executive Officer of Velatura, presented our “AI First for People” philosophy, emphasizing how technology can be tailored to meet specific community needs while maintaining the highest standards of medical accuracy and cultural sensitivity.

The technology’s custom-trained models create new standards for multilingual healthcare AI that go beyond translation to build solutions that truly serve diverse communities. This community-centered approach represents a scalable model for addressing healthcare communication challenges across different populations and geographic markets.

Building Bridges Through Innovation

The event, sponsored by J&B Medical, demonstrated the power of community partnerships in developing healthcare solutions. Stephen Shaya, M.D., Executive Servant Leader of J&B Medical,,shared insights about putting “health back in healthcare” by making it more affordable and accessible – values that align with our mission to serve underserved populations through innovative technology.

The enthusiastic community response validated our approach of developing AI solutions through direct community engagement rather than theoretical applications. This model of community-centered innovation can be adapted to address healthcare communication challenges for any population, whether based on language, health literacy, or other accessibility barriers.

As we continue expanding our community-focused approach to healthcare AI, the success of this initiative demonstrates how technology can bridge gaps and create more accessible healthcare for all communities.

See photos from the event here.