Addressing healthcare access in rural communities presents unique challenges – ones that differ both in scope and solution from urban communities. Often isolated deep in the countryside, many miles from clinics and providers, those living in rural populations are often forced to contend with a number of hurdles when accessing healthcare, including a lack of qualified or available healthcare professionals, inadequate infrastructure, insufficient funding, and more.
Healthcare providers, local governments, and federal health and policy agencies tasked with addressing these hurdles in rural areas face distinct challenges, and often rely on collaborative efforts to elevate and advance the quality and quantity of healthcare services in some of America’s furthest communities. Through renewed focuses on rural health and the emergence of novel investments in community health initiatives, healthcare organizations are leading the charge in pushing forward infrastructure, systems, and policies aimed at empowering rural providers to leverage their experience and pioneer effective healthcare delivery models.
Dora Barilla, Program Lead for the Community Health Investment Certificate and Adjunct Faculty for the Masters in Healthcare Administration program, addressed the challenges facing today’s rural communities along with how modern healthcare organizations are working to advance access.
What are the barriers to healthcare access in rural communities and how do the barriers faced by these rural communities differ from issues faced in urban communities?
There are many barriers to healthcare access in rural communities. In addition to challenges many face in healthcare access overall, rural areas often face exponential restrictions due to a lack of a qualified workforce, infrastructure and funding.
How have recent policy changes impacted healthcare access for rural communities?
There continues to be a non-partisan policy agenda focused on improving cross-department coordination at the federal and state level, which decreases confusion regarding how program funds can be braided to address a whole person approach to wellbeing.
What challenges are faced by rural providers, and how can they be mitigated?
Healthcare providers in rural areas could be on the forefront of building partnerships and initiatives and become experts in braiding of funds from different programs. The entire country will need to learn these skills and rural communities can lead out of necessity. Partnerships and community engagement will be THE strategy for improving healthcare access in rural communities. Having professionals in rural communities that know how to coordinate multisector services will be the successful communities. Not only community health workers but also other professionals that are suited to perform this role.
How does the Community Health Investment Certificate at the University of Providence prepare students to addressing the rural health issues facing today’s communities.
The CHI certificate can prepare leaders working in any field of healthcare or public health by developing competencies in collaboration and partnerships. These skills allow local leaders to address not only access to health services but social drivers of health such as food insecurity, housing instability, transportation, and social isolation. A broader understanding of health in the community can transcend and built.
Addressing healthcare access in rural communities requires innovative and collaborative approaches aimed at overcoming the distinct challenges facing these communities. By investing in new and emerging infrastructure, fostering partnerships between providers, institutions and governments, and empowering local leaders with the effective skills and knowledge, sustainable and effective healthcare delivery models can be fostered to serve rural populations. Leaders and practitioners who wish to equip themselves with these competences can do so with the Community Health Investment Certificate at the University of Providence. This post-bachelor certificate is designed to prepare students with the competencies needed to lead these emergent efforts, ensuring graduates are prepared to tackle the complexities of rural health.
