Meritus chief strategy officer named to MD rural health advisory group

Dave Lehr is part of the Rural Health Transformation Committee. 

Meritus Health’s chief strategy officer was recently named to a statewide committee that advises on the use of federal funds for rural health.

Dave Lehr was appointed to the Rural Health Transformation Committee, which falls under the Maryland Department of Health.

The committee is an advisory group created to support the implementation of the Rural Health Transformation Program in the state. The committee includes residents, health and business leaders, elected officials and state agencies.

The program is Maryland’s share of a $50 billion fund created by Congress in the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act.” The money is meant to strengthen rural communities by improving healthcare access, quality and outcomes by changing how healthcare is delivered. The program is overseen by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

In the first year of the five-year program, Maryland receives more than $168 million for its rural communities.

Meritus Health has taken strides to improve the health of rural Washington County. That includes creating the Meritus School of Osteopathic Medicine (MSOM) to train the next generation of physicians who would work locally, filling a gap of more than 50 doctors. Lehr also serves as the chief operating officer of MSOM and was one of the key leaders to get the school off the ground.

“Being at the table is important for Western Maryland as the state makes a plan for these federal funds,” Lehr said. “This is an opportunity to have a big impact on the health disparities faced by rural Marylanders.”

To learn more about the Rural Health Transformation Program, visit www.meritushealth.com/RHTP.