More than 700 rural hospitals have joined Microsoft’s Cybersecurity for Rural Hospitals Program, an initiative aimed at helping small and often under-resourced hospitals strengthen their cyber defenses with free or low-cost tools and services.
The program has seen steady growth since its launch. In a March press release, Microsoft reported that 550 rural hospitals had enrolled. Participating hospitals receive benefits such as complimentary cybersecurity assessments, staff training for frontline and IT teams, and one year of free Windows 10 security updates for larger rural hospitals using eligible Microsoft solutions.
Beyond cybersecurity, Microsoft is also collaborating with rural hospitals on AI. According to a July 14 blog post from the American Hospital Association, the company is working with two cohorts of rural hospitals to pilot AI tools aimed at streamlining outbound referral workflows and automating responses to insurance claim denials.
The cybersecurity initiative was first announced in 2024 as part of a commitment made by Microsoft in partnership with the Biden-Harris administration. Through the program, critical access and rural emergency hospitals can receive grants and discounts of up to 75% on Microsoft security products.
