Rural vs. Urban Ancillary Services Discussion Reply

The access to ancillary services among urban and rural areas differs greatly. Rural areas have approximately half as many hospital services available to residents compared to urban areas (Hatten, 1986). Challenges that are present among patients living in rural areas include limited access to healthcare due to let healthcare facilities and less providers (Warshaw, 2017). Rural areas also typically have lower incomes making it difficult to bring in providers in these areas (Warshaw, 2017). These populations are also less likely to be able to take time off from work to travel and visit a doctor. The longer these patients wait to receive the appropriate quality care needed, the worse the outcomes end up being.

As a healthcare leader, I would recommend utilizing multiple healthcare providers by having them participate in outreach opportunities in these communities. For example, I would build one decently-sized clinic with up to ten exam rooms. The facility would have multiple providers rotate to this clinic on certain days. For example, I would have an OBGYN and pediatrician physician rotate 2-3 times a month, a primary care physician once a week, and a cardiologist and gastroenterologist once a month. By having multiple providers constantly rotating, the facility would always be bringing in some sort of patient care to this area.

References:
Hatten, J. M., & Connerton, R. E. (1986). Urban and rural hospitals: how do they differ?. Health care financing review, 8(2), 77–85.