For decades, getting adequate healthcare to those living in rural areas has been an obstacle. For some people, the closest healthcare provider can be located hours away. This barrier makes it difficult for scores of individuals to receive healthcare, and for some, it dissuades them from receiving healthcare treatments altogether. While many have attempted to improve healthcare in rural areas, the problem has yet to be solved once and for all.
Luckily, tech advancements are beginning to chip away at the age-old problem of getting healthcare to those living in rural areas. Understanding how new applications of technology are changing the way that many people receive health care can provide one with a more nuanced view of how healthcare is evolving in today’s modern age.
A Lack of Health Literacy
Those living in rural areas suffer higher rates of many ailments ranging from diabetes to mental health issues. These ailments are likely a result of those living in rural areas engaging in more unhealthy habits than their city-dwelling counterparts. The reason that this is the case is likely due to a lack of health literacy, which can be defined as a general understanding of knowing how to maintain good health and navigate the healthcare system.
As many are lacking in health literacy in rural areas, some good habits such as regularly scheduling check-ups with doctors may not seem necessary. Pair a lack of motivation with a lack of nearby healthcare providers and it becomes clear why there is a gap between urban and rural healthcare.
A Shortage of Doctors
Many rural areas are currently experiencing a shortage of doctors and nurses. This can pose a huge problem as doctors and nurses play an important role in patient safety, and understaffing can cause patient safety to suffer. As one can imagine, if there aren’t enough doctors, then some people will be left without the ability to receive the treatments that they need.
Thankfully, some legislation is beginning to address this particular problem. Multiple states have passed laws that allow nurse practitioners to act in the function of doctors, treating and prescribing medication to patients. While this has helped make some headway in terms of addressing the problem, technology has stepped up to make even more of an impact.
Bridging the Gap with Technology
A number of new technological innovations are beginning to present themselves as a means of bridging the gap in rural healthcare. With the help of these new applications of technology, more and more individuals living in rural areas are beginning to get closer to receiving adequate healthcare. Here are some of the most exciting new tech advancements addressing rural healthcare.
Telemedicine
Telemedicine is a new way of receiving healthcare that is offering itself as a viable solution for the rural healthcare problem. Put simply, telemedicine is when patients receive healthcare through electronic means. This can take many different forms based on the technology that one has access to. Telemedicine can be a video call with one’s doctor or a text to a nurse. This form of healthcare removes the barrier of distance from receiving healthcare.
While one obviously wouldn’t be able to undergo surgery from home, one can engage in routine check-ups and even ask doctors questions without having to travel at all. For those living in rural communities, telemedicine has the potential to make getting a routine check-up far more accessible to a wide array of people. In addition, many serious health problems that may have been left untreated may now be detected by a doctor.
In addition to making healthcare more convenient for those living in rural communities, telemedicine can also help inform rural residents about the healthcare system. By engaging in this form of healthcare and having routine communications with medical professionals, residents will likely develop higher rates of health literacy, possibly diminishing the effects of many unhealthy habits in rural communities.
Telehealth
While many may be under the impression that telemedicine and telehealth are the same things, they are actually distinct. Telemedicine refers only to actual clinical treatment being received through electronic means. Telehealth on the other hand refers to any interactions that a patient has with a healthcare provider, such as communicating with a receptionist to book an appointment. While telemedicine falls under the umbrella of telehealth, telehealth reaches further to encompass more interactions.
When it comes to health literacy, telehealth can be a great way for rural citizens to become comfortable navigating the healthcare system. By digitally interacting with healthcare providers — such as through text or on the web — rural residents will become more and more familiar with how the healthcare system works.
This comfort with navigating the healthcare system can act as motivation for individuals to seek out care and maintain routine check-ups as there is less uncertainty about the process of doing so.
Mobile Health Clinics
While telehealth and telemedicine can make a huge impact in terms of providing communication with medical professionals, there will be times when rural residents will need care that can only be performed when medical professionals are physically present. One solution to this problem is the use of mobile health clinics, which are automobiles that have been equipped to work as a clinic.
While mobile health clinics have been utilized frequently for times of crisis, they haven’t yet become a normalized way for people living in rural communities to receive healthcare. Mobile health clinics could potentially be a viable solution to bridge the gap in rural healthcare, ensuring that people are receiving the care that they need.
One way in which mobile health clinics could go beyond telemedicine and telehealth is by allowing medical professionals to identify certain symptoms or illnesses that patients may be unaware of. If a patient has an early stage of a disease, a medical professional may be able to detect it in person while on a video call it may be impossible to do so.
As such, mobile health clinics could bring a seismic shift in rural health and may be the best way to bridge the gap once and for all.
Bridging the Gap for Good
While some changes in legislation have helped in some ways, it’s beginning to seem like technology will be the key to bridging the gap in rural healthcare. While telehealth and telemedicine can increase patient literacy and encourage routine check-ups, mobile health clinics can help patients receive the physical care that they require.
In the coming years, it is more than likely that new forms of technology will arise to help solve the rural health problem even more efficiently. But for now, the technology we have available is proving itself to be a viable way to help bring more healthcare to more people and radically improve the quality of life for rural residents.
