Rural Health
News by Topic: Access
Apr 28, 2026 - Profiles a University of Wisconsin-Madison medical student from a Puerto Rico island with no hospital and a primary care clinic destroyed by a hurricane in 2017. Describes the transportation specific barriers for accessing healthcare for island residents, challenges in attracting healthcare professionals to the island, and the student's intention to practice there.
Source: The Cap Times
Apr 27, 2026 - Profiles Sandy Guzman, a community health worker (CHW) in rural Oregon, who serves as an intermediary between patients and the healthcare system. CHWs can help patients apply for food and housing benefits, coordinate follow-up appointments, administer cognitive and mental health screenings, and help with other non-medical needs.
Source: KFF Health News
Apr 27, 2026 - Littleton Regional Healthcare CMO Richard McKenzie believes that success in rural healthcare delivery is dependent on how systems are designed, and how they provide access, support clinicians, and ensure sustainable revenue. McKenzie previously worked as a manufacturing engineer, combining efficiency with frontline realities.
Source: HealthLeaders Media
Apr 26, 2026 - The Veterans Affairs' TelePharmacy program, available in selected areas across the country, gives remote access to veterans who live in areas without a pharmacy specialist. The My HealtheVet app can be used to verify appointment times, refill prescriptions, and send secure messages to patients' VA care teams.
Source: VA News
Apr 22, 2026 - The University of Washington's Regional Initiatives in Dental Education (RIDE) program doubled in size last year, after moving to the Gonzaga University campus and expanding Spokane-based training to the first two years of dental school. 78% of RIDE students practice in rural areas after graduation.
Source: The Spokesman-Review
Apr 21, 2026 - Describes psychiatrist workforce shortages in West Virginia following a recent report that the state has the lowest supply in the nation. Discusses drivers of the shortage, including reimbursement rates and administrative process, fewer people entering the field, and behavioral health disparities in the state.
Source: West Virginia Watch
Apr 20, 2026 - Profiles Lancaster County's community paramedicine program, an initiative that serves about 1,000 people a month. Pennsylvania officials want to expand it to rural communities with few medical providers and elder care services.
Source: Evening Sun
Apr 20, 2026 - Examines ways in which rural communities can create accountable care programs, using funds from the Rural Health Transformation Program. Notes that rural areas have tighter social networks, clearer referral pathways, and fewer competing delivery systems, which can support accountable care after infrastructure is in place.
Source: Health Affairs
Apr 20, 2026 - Describes a pilot program using telehealth that aims to expand access to cardiology care in rural Arkansas.
Source: KNWA/KFTA
Apr 20, 2026 - Describes the role a summer meal program plays in ensuring food access for rural Alaskan children in communities with no dedicated food banks. Notes that applications for eligible children is now open.
Source: Alaska Public Media