Why Can ’t People Get Healthcare in Rural America?

Why Can’t People Get Healthcare in Rural America? There is a medical crisis in rural America. There aren’t enough physicians to meet the needs of small towns, and the problem is only getting worse. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, there are more than 6,600 primary care health professional shortage areas (HPSA) scattered throughout the United States. The total number of HPSAs in the United States, including areas that lack adequate mental health services and dental care, is nearly 17,000. Most of these shortages occur in rural areas. The same rural areas experiencing a shortage of medical services have also been hit hard by the ongoing opioid epidemic. In Ohio, a state with 382 HPSAs, an average of 30 people out of 100,00 will die due to an opioid-related overdose. In West Virginia, a state with 304 HPSAs, more than 41 out of 100,000 people will die from an opioid-related overdose. The overlap between areas experiencing high death rates as a result of the opioid epidemic and areas in critical need of basic health services is not a coincidence. State and local governments have an obligation to recognize and correct healthcare shortages in rural areas.  Current incentive programs to encourage doctors to invest time in rural communities must be improved and advanced, while new facilities must be built to accommodate community and geographic needs. Creative solutions to healthcare access, for example conducting therapy sessions or physician visit...
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