Necessity, The Mother Of Invention

The solutions for rural health care remain stubbornly elusive. After decades of programs and pilots, the United States continues to grapple with 8,251 designated mental health shortage areas (see Health Workforce Shortage Areas) and more than 8,100 designated primary care health professional shortage areas (see Primary Care Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs), many of which are rural, affecting more than 97 million people.

There are legislative solutions in the works. In Congress, the Rural Health Innovation Act of 2021, Rural America Health Corps Act, and Save Rural Hospitals Act of 2023, to name a few (see source). Meanwhile . . .