Cooperative Living June 2020 - 25

HealthyTake | Story courtesy of Family Features
Health Care Solutions
for Rural Americans
Every day, rural Americans find themselves
further from easily accessible medical care
H
eart disease, cancer,
unintentional injuries, chronic
lower respiratory disease and
stroke. These top five causes of death
in the United States all have a higher
incidence among rural residents.
Research points to lack of access to
health care as a culprit.
Today, rural hospitals are closing at
a rapid pace, expanding an already vast
health care desert (defined as inhabited
areas more than 60 minutes away
from an acute care hospital) across
the country.
According to the University of
North Carolina's Rural Health
Research Program, more than 105
of America's 1,700 rural hospitals
have closed since 2010.
Additionally, a Navigant report
found that 21% of rural hospitals are
at high risk of closing unless their
financial situations improve.
PRACTICAL CHALLENGES
Fatal injuries and illnesses aside,
rural residents face other practical
concerns related to the health care
in their communities.
A shortage of doctors can mean
less availability for appointments,
or longer distances to reach a physician
and limited access to specialists.
Statistically, rural residents tend to
be older and need more frequent visits
to doctors.
Pregnant women have to travel even
co-opliving.com
farther to deliver a baby, leading to an
increased risk of complications at birth.
Similarly, prenatal and postnatal care
are harder to access.
Rural residents often enjoy more
outdoor activities such as hunting,
hiking and riding ATVs that could
lead to serious injury treatable only
at a distant trauma center.
AIRBORNE ANSWER
One solution to fill the gap in rural
health care is air medical services,
which transport patients to
critical care facilities in
minutes. With nearly 90%
of patients transported
living in rural areas, air
ambulance services are an
essential part of health care
access in these communities.
However, just like rural hospitals,
air ambulances are threatened as well.
Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement
rates have remained steady for decades,
while operational costs required for air
medical services have increased, creating
a financially unsustainable situation.
Some private insurers also refuse to
cover air medical services or pay minimal
costs, requiring patients to assume the
balance. Visit globalmedicalresponse.com/
protect-patients to learn more about
these services in your area.
TAKING ACTION
Rural residents can take individual
actions to make a difference for
themselves, their families and even
their communities.
Explore alternative sources of care
Many rural areas have community
health workers who complete home
visits to assist people with chronic
diseases like diabetes and high blood
pressure.
Get educated about your care
One role of community health
workers is teaching patients how to
manage their own medical needs.
This education can reduce the need
for hospitalizations in certain cases
like diabetes.
Make an emergency plan
The plan should include information
about the location of the closest
hospital, emergency contact
information in the community and
other details necessary to gain
emergency care.
Consider remote access care
Telemedicine allows
patients to connect
with a doctor or
nurse virtually
using technology
and without having
to travel. The twoway
communication
can facilitate evaluation and
treatment for minor conditions. ■
June 2020 | Cooperative Living | 23
http://www.globalmedicalresponse.com/ http://www.co-opliving.com
Cooperative Living June 2020

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