Complete the Capstone Abstract. See PowerPoint and use the example capstone abstract as guide. 120-180 words

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Chapter 5. Discussion and Conclusion

Ivory Coachman

National University

COH 694B

August 13, 2023

CHAPTER 5. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION

Introduction

The current chapter provides a discussion of the study findings, which answers the study question that focused on investigating some of the factors that lead to poor access to healthcare among the American communities living in rural America. The qualitative study using a grounded theory design reviewed 40 articles that answered the question of some factors contributing to poor healthcare service access in rural America. Some of the articles also suggested some of the strategies that can be implemented to enhance healthcare services access in rural America. The study findings indicate that people living in rural America have problems accessing medical services (Bergum & Catlin, 2016). The barriers to accessing medical services identified in the study include limited healthcare facilities, insufficient medical practitioners, healthcare facilities being located far from the people, and transportation to healthcare facilities being a problem (Rushton & Youde, 2017). The findings indicate that adopting healthcare technology such as telehealth and telemedicine will help increase access to healthcare services in rural America.

Most of the study findings that were reviewed in this study have confirmed that there is an urgent need to improve medical service access among the people living in rural America. Such strategies will reduce unwarranted deaths, reduce morbidity and mortality, and improve the well-being of the people living in rural America. Findings indicate that many obstacles, including demography, terrain, poor internet connection, lack of insurance coverage, and poor staffing of the health facilities, hinder healthcare access in rural America (Rushton & Youde, 2017). The authors agreed that mobile health, telehealth, and telemedicine technology could help increase healthcare access in rural areas. The role of medical technology in delivering health care to people in the rural area presents an exclusive avenue where this system/s were used to address patient needs. Still, the focus of this study was access to care and eliminating barriers.

Findings of a study by Rural Health Information Hub. (2022) noted that American citizens are entitled to receive access to at least basic healthcare services such as primary care, behavioral care, dental care, and public health services, among others. However, this is not possible in rural America, where it is estimated that more than 45% of the population has no or limited access to healthcare services. Indeed the listed healthcare services are basic and should be accessed by all Americans (Bergum & Catlin, 2016). However, many Americans cannot access the services because of the many barriers to healthcare services that are more prevalent in rural areas. The dangers or the impacts of limited access to healthcare in America were revealed in a study by Singh and Siahpush (2013). Singh and Siahpush (2013) noted that life expectancy in rural America was 76.7 years, while in urban was 79.1 years. This evidence proves the health disparities in America, yet technology can be used to bridge the disparities.

Findings indicate that although mobile health clinics are in place to increase access to healthcare in rural communities in the United States, many parts of the country cannot be accessed, limiting the use of mobile clinics (Waldrop & Gee, 2022). Mobile clinics enable healthcare professionals to provide healthcare services where the patient is. In conventional healthcare, the patient visits the healthcare facility. However, in this case, it is the reverse. Mobile health providers are always on the move to ensure patients get the services in the comfort of their homes or places of work. Mobile clinics have been found to solve the transportation problem as a barrier to healthcare access. Evidence from studies shows that telehealth is a significant solution to increase access to healthcare in rural communities in the United States.

Telehealth and telemedicine enable patients to receive healthcare services without necessarily meeting with providers. Telehealth is usually done online, implying that there needs to be a stable internet service on both ends (Mayo Clinic, 2022). Mobile health clinics are in place to increase access to healthcare in rural communities in the United States (Waldrop & Gee, 2022). Mobile clinics enable healthcare professionals to provide healthcare services where the patient is. In conventional healthcare, the patient visits the healthcare facility. The delivery of quality healthcare is a collective responsibility (CDC, 2023). It requires the input of different stakeholders to make it achievable. Rural communities are challenging to reach. Therefore, organizations need to play different roles in ensuring people access services.

An organization such as Families USA accesses the most rural areas in the United States and provides them with healthcare services (Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, 2023). The authors agreed that solutions could be implemented once the barriers have been addressed, and locals will start experiencing the benefits of accessing quality healthcare (Rural Health Information Hub, 2023). One of the barriers addressed is poor transportation. If this is handled, there will be better roads in the rural areas, which implies that it will be easier for locals to reach healthcare facilities to be treated for different needs.

A study by Strasser (2003) revealed that the modern world is digitally connected and heavily relies on the Internet for communication and research, among other essential activities. Communities in rural areas do not experience the full benefits of the Internet because of poor connectivity. Poor connectivity and limited internet connection are barriers to telemedicine and telehealth use in the United States (NCSL, 2020). Healthcare professionals in rural areas cannot utilize the benefits of telehealth without internet connectivity. In this way, the federal and state government should improve internet connectivity in rural areas to ensure that telemedicine and telehealth are utilized optimally to increase healthcare services access in rural areas. It is a service that requires stable and fast internet connectivity. However, most rural areas in the United States are not lucky enough to access high-speed Internet (CDC, 2023). This implies that the services they receive are limited. Accessing even the most basic of services without the Internet is difficult in the modern world. Healthcare facilities also need an internet connection to interact with other stakeholders. The lack of Internet makes this communication difficult and significantly limits the services that can be offered in the facility.

Limitations

The current study's limitations are that only articles published on the subject from 2003 to date were used to synthesize the findings. The study did not incorporate literature and research findings from books which may have provided a more professional and credible assessment of the current healthcare situation in rural areas. Similarly, the review did not include data from reliable state and federal government agencies to test the legitimacy of the findings from different publications reviewed herein. Again, the study used some articles not published in America, which may have provided or induced a different perspective on the American system; hence the actual pictures of the state of healthcare services access in America may have been compromised.

Conclusion

Healthcare is one of the basic human needs for people's health. Regardless of the situation, healthcare is a fundamental need that must be met. Despite the sensitivity of healthcare, millions of people across the globe still have challenges when it comes to accessing healthcare. Rural communities are among the most affected by the lack of proper access to healthcare. Findings indicate that American citizens are entitled to receive access to at least basic healthcare services such as primary care, behavioral care, dental care, and public health services, among others. However, this is not possible in rural America, where it is estimated that more than 45% of the population has no or limited access to healthcare services. The federal government should implement telehealth, mobile clinics, and telemedicine strategies in rural areas to increase access to medical services among the people living in rural areas. Implementing medical technology health programs in rural areas will play a significant role in bridging the healthcare disparities in America, which are caused by infrastructure and structural deficiencies.

Recommendations for Further Study

The current study focused on understanding some factors impeding medical services access in rural America. Many of the studies reviewed in this study investigated a range of barriers to medical service access, which may have limited the recommendations because of the broad scope of the study. Future studies should be done to focus on sociocultural factors that hinder healthcare services access in rural America. The findings of such a study will play a significant role in addressing healthcare disparities caused by social and cultural factors other than focusing on economic factors. Similarly, many studies have been done to investigate factors that hinder healthcare access in rural areas. However, most of these studies have adopted a qualitative approach to investigate the issue. Quantitative studies should be conducted in the future to investigate factors that impede access to healthcare services in rural America today. The findings of such a study will reveal current and practical aspects so that they can be mitigated through policy advocacy.

References

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