RHILL

The Rural Health Innovation Living Laboratory (RHILL) is a collaborative partnership that brings together Purdue researchers and independent rural health organizations to accelerate the development of innovative solutions that improve health and healthcare delivery in rural communities. Rather than waiting years for research findings to be translated into practice, RHILL creates an environment where new ideas, technologies, and care models can be developed, tested, refined, and implemented in real-world rural healthcare settings.

RHILL is built on the Living Laboratory model, a collaborative research approach grounded in the principles of Community-Engaged Research. This model recognizes that meaningful and sustainable innovation occurs when researchers, healthcare providers, community organizations, and rural residents work together as equal partners throughout the research and implementation process. By fostering long-term, mutually beneficial relationships, RHILL ensures that research is informed by the unique needs, priorities, and lived experiences of rural communities while also generating practical, scalable solutions to address some of the most pressing healthcare challenges facing rural populations.

At the heart of RHILL are several key tenets: authentic community engagement, active stakeholder participation, shared decision-making and goals, interdisciplinary collaboration, and the use of multi-method research approaches. These principles support the co-creation of innovative solutions that are not only scientifically rigorous but also practical, relevant, and sustainable within the realities of rural healthcare. By conducting research in real-life settings rather than controlled laboratory environments, RHILL enables continuous learning, rapid adaptation, and immediate application of new knowledge, ensuring that innovation translates into meaningful improvements in rural health outcomes.