Reimagining Rural Health: Why Rural Health Matters for Us All 

Of all the states in the US, North Carolina’s rural population is second only to Texas’s. Hardworking families, farmers, veterans, and small business owners who live and work in small towns and remote crossroads are the backbone of our state. Yet rural communities face a growing crisis in health care: shrinking access, rising costs, and a health care workforce stretched to its limits. 

Historically, North Carolina’s rural communities have struggled with shortages of health care professionals. Rural North Carolinians are more likely to depend on hospitals as their primary source of care, and yet hospitals in these communities are at greater risk of closure. This loss of local care forces residents to travel farther for treatment. For those without reliable access to transportation or flexible work schedules, geographic isolation makes it difficult, if not impossible, to access care in neighboring towns. 

That leads to fewer touchpoints for preventive care, delayed diagnoses, and missed opportunities to proactively manage health conditions and drive better outcomes. Without the right level of support to identify and address physical and mental illness early on, it’s easy for small problems to escalate into big ones, which is one reason why rural North Carolinians are more likely than their urban and suburban neighbors to experience serious chronic conditions and unaddressed mental health needs. 

Improving access to care in rural North Carolina isn’t just a health imperative—it’s an economic one. Health is a key driver of economic development, as a healthy population is more productive, more innovative, and more reliable, and that makes a workforce more appealing for prospective investors and employers. On top of that, chronic conditions account for the majority of our nation’s annual health care expenditures. When someone runs into barriers to care, that adds stress to the entire health care system. Every North Carolinian feels the impact in one way or another: higher health care costs, an unhealthy workforce, and weakened communities. 

We know that rural communities are already working with schools, faith-based organizations, and non-profits to address critical local needs. The next step is for the health care system to get creative and find ways to harness those energies for wholescale change. If North Carolina is to make significant progress on the affordability crisis, we must all sit at the same table and align on an action plan. 

Here are four strategic focus areas where collaboration, creativity, and commitment can deliver concrete solutions and help build the robust infrastructure needed for sustainable health care in rural areas, and more affordable care for all: 

Increasing provider access and value delivery 

Expanding the health care work force is critical, and Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina (Blue Cross NC) and the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina Foundation have invested millions to support training programs to bring access to every corner of North Carolina. We’re also working with the NC Chamber Foundation, The NC Center on the Workforce for Health, and North Carolina Area Health Education Centers (NC AHEC) to address health care workforce shortages by aligning education and employment efforts across all 100 counties for long-term workforce development solutions. These efforts include regional partnerships between health care employers, educators, and workforce entities to streamline hiring, improve retention, and strengthen the talent pipeline. 

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Source: Triangle Business Journal