Tata Elxsi, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, and OSF HealthCare Partner to Transform Rural Healthcare Access in the United States

Collaboration Leverages Digital Kiosks and AI-Driven Platforms to Bridge Healthcare Gaps

BENGALURU, India and CHICAGO, Dec. 2, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Tata Elxsi, a global leader in design and technology services, has partnered with the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and OSF HealthCare (OSF) to address critical healthcare challenges in rural America. Historically, digital health innovations have concentrated on urban populations, leaving rural communities underserved. This pioneering initiative combines advanced technology with academic research from Gies College of Business and Carle Illinois College of Medicine, leveraging real-time OSF HealthCare data to deploy hyper-localized digital health kiosks funded by Jump ARCHES. These kiosks aim to improve healthcare accessibility and outcomes in underserved regions.

Rural areas face steep barriers to healthcare access, including limited technology awareness, long distances to doctors, poor network connectivity, low population density, and inadequate payer coverage. A detailed OSF-based analysis by the Gies College of Business found that extending access to primary and preventive care in remote and rural areas significantly reduces avoidable emergency care visits among these populations. The initiative focuses on chronic and behavioral diseases and addresses four key challenges: Hospital re-admission and post-acute care health monitoring, geographic and access barriers, healthcare education and preventive measures, and chronic disease management.

At the core of this initiative is Tata Elxsi's TEngage platform, a scalable, effective and comprehensive digital health solution designed to deliver seamless healthcare in rural areas through the kiosks. These kiosks run on Amazon Web Services (AWS) cloud infrastructure and incorporate technologies such as Internet of Medical Things (IoMT) for vital sign collection, Hospital Information System (HIS) integration, telehealth services, and secure data workflows. Discussions are underway to incorporate IoT-based remote monitoring, further enhancing the platform's capacity to deliver proactive, continuous care to rural communities.

Beginning in Illinois, the initiative will expand to many counties over three years through a phased approach that allows kiosks to adapt based on community usage and feedback. The kiosks will have advanced features, including telehealth integration, health monitoring, and AI analytics for epidemic tracking and predictive healthcare insights. Additionally, the devices offer cloud-based management, electronic health record connectivity, automated workflow, and telecom infrastructure that enhances connectivity. The TEngage platform ensures rapid deployment and scalability, establishing a foundation for broader adoption in the future.

Sreevatsa Sahasranaman, Sr. Vice President & Head of Healthcare Business at Tata Elxsi, said, "This partnership demonstrates our commitment to driving healthcare innovation and showcases how technology can make quality care accessible to all. By combining the University of Illinois' research insights with our expertise, we are delivering hyper-customized care and impactful solutions that touch rural communities and elevate healthcare delivery to new milestones."

Prof. Ujjal Kumar Mukherjee, Gies College of Business and Carle Illinois College of Medicine, added, "For people in remote and underserved areas, basic healthcare often means traveling long distances or having no access to care at all. But when health services are connected through a hub-and-spoke system—from hospitals to regional clinics, to mobile rural clinics, and finally to local health kiosks—we can bring care step-by-step closer to where people live. A simple kiosk at the last mile becomes more than a device; it's the final link in a larger network that helps ensure no one is left out."

Ann M. Willemsen-Dunlap, OSF HealthCare, said, "The computer interface that Tata Elxsi has developed will help community health workers as they bring health screenings and health connectivity to rural Illinois. This will strengthen OSF HealthCare's ability to meet patients where they are, even if that is miles away from a hospital or clinic."

Telecom service providers play a vital role in enabling this project by providing the critical last-mile connectivity required for seamless healthcare access in remote and rural communities. This collaboration demonstrates how partnerships between technology innovators, research institutions, and healthcare providers can effectively address societal challenges.  The initiative encourages community partners, clinicians, funders, and policymakers to participate in expanding this innovative model across the United States, creating a transformative, technology-driven blueprint for the future of rural healthcare. 

About Tata Elxsi

Tata Elxsi is a global design and technology services company headquartered in Bangalore. It addresses the healthcare, automotive, media & telecom, consumer electronics industries. This is supported by a network of design studios, development centers, and offices worldwide.

Tata Elxsi's Healthcare and Life Sciences practice is ISO 13485 certified and collaborates with prominent medical device and pharmaceutical OEMs, as well as technology companies in Digital Health, Medical Device Engineering & Regulatory Compliance services. Tata Elxsi adds value at every stage of the customer's product development lifecycle. TEcare by Tata Elxsi represents a significant step forward in the healthcare sector, embracing digital therapeutics and holistic health practices. Recognising the challenges posed by increasing chronic diseases and healthcare expenses, TEcare utilises advanced technologies such as AI/ML, AR/VR/XR, gamification, and IoMT to provide evidence-based interventions. For more information, visit TEcare - A Digital Therapeutics Platform

About the University of Illinois Gies College of Business

For more than 100 years, Gies College of Business has intentionally designed its innovative programs, leading-edge curriculum, and experiential learning opportunities to empower and prepare students to turn big ideas into meaningful actions. A recognized leader in delivering high-quality residential and online education, today Gies educates more than 9,000 students – including 6,000+ on-campus and online graduate students – from around the world. Gies learners put their purpose into practice and develop lifelong success skills for a global economy. GiesBusiness.illinois.edu 

Media Contact:
Gies College of Business
Aaron Bennett

About OSF

OSF HealthCare is an integrated health system founded by The Sisters of the Third Order of St. Francis. Headquartered in Peoria, Illinois, OSF has 17 hospitals – 11 acute care, five critical access and one continuing care – with 2,305 licensed beds throughout Illinois and Michigan. OSF employs over 27,000 Mission Partners across more than 170 locations. These include OSF HealthCare Children's Hospital of Illinois, the third largest pediatric hospital in the state, and OSF OnCall, its digital health operating entity that offers hospital-at-home care. Advances in health care transformation take place through OSF Innovation as well as OSF Ventures, which provides investment capital for promising health care innovation startups. In addition, OSF operates two colleges of nursing; OSF Home Care Services, an extensive network of home health and hospice services; Pointcore, Inc., which is composed of health care-related businesses; and OSF HealthCare Foundation, the philanthropic arm of the organization. OSF HealthCare has been recognized by Fortune as one of the most innovative companies in the country and by Forbes as one of America's Best Employers for Healthcare Professionals. Learn more at osfhealthcare.org 

Media Contact:
OSF HealthCare
Colleen Reynolds
Media Relations Coordinator

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