Overview
Rural populations are older, sicker, and poorer than urban populations. Rural areas also have more limited access to health care than urban areas. In 2013, there were 79.3 primary care physicians per 100,000 people in metropolitan counties, compared to only 55.1 per 100,000 people in non-metropolitan counties.1 This disparity highlights the need to focus on increasing access to primary care in rural areas. Primary care often serves as the first point of contact for patients with providers and may include services such as health promotion, health maintenance, disease prevention, counseling, patient education, and diagnosis and treatment of acute and chronic illnesses. Studies show that patients who obtain primary care services receive more preventive care and have lower rates of illness and premature death. To help ensure access to primary care in rural areas, the Federal government supports special health care provider designations that provide enhanced Medicare and or Medicaid reimbursement to certain types of hospitals and clinics— programs such as the Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA) designation. Essential Communities Providers (ECP) designation, Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs), and Rural Health Centers (RHCs).
https://youtu.be/mPF-YNCdZmo – The Route to Better Rural Health
For this assignment:
Using the Perusall link provided below, read the article: Access in Brief: Rural and Urban Health Care (MACPAC, 2018).
Link: https://perusall.com/
Perusall Link access information
Email: jr3486@mynsu.nova.edu
Password: jrde3486
Within the Perusall tool, highlight and comment on:
Two areas that resonated with you regarding the importance of this week’s readings while reflecting on:
How the lack of healthcare access affects population health and patient well-being in a community?
What are barriers to healthcare access in rural areas?
Why is primary care access important for rural residents?
All comments are to be made directly by highlighting and adding the comment in the Perusall application link. Within this link you will be able to view your classmates findings. If the area you are choosing to highlight has already been highlighted by a classmate, this is acceptable and is completed by adding your findings as a reply to continue the threaded discussion of this select area of the article. If you are unsure of how to comment on the article, review the instructions page.
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