"We believe that integrated nonprofit medical systems that share a commitment to providing access to high-quality care for our communities, as well as training the healthcare workforce of the future, should have the support they need to remain sustainable." - Joanne M. Conroy, MD Click through to read about the recent visit of our CEO and President, along with the leaders of The University of Vermont Health Network and MaineHealth, to Washington, DC, to discuss #RuralHealth and patient access to healthcare.
I was proud to join with my counterparts at The University of Vermont Health Network and MaineHealth, Sunny Eappen, MD, MBA, and Andy Mueller, MD, last week to advocate for rural health systems like ours in Washington, DC. Dartmouth Health, MaineHealth and UVM share similar academic missions, healthcare service delivery models, support for research and innovation, nonprofit statuses, and deep commitments to the communities we serve. The patients in our rural communities face common challenges – growing older, suffering from chronic disease, unmet behavioral and mental health needs, and a lack of affordable housing, among others. Ongoing workforce shortages and reimbursements from Medicare and Medicaid that do not cover the cost of providing care compound the challenges of preserving access to vital services. Sunny, Andy and I, and our teams, know what we must do to take care of our patients and communities. We believe that integrated nonprofit medical systems that share a commitment to providing access to high-quality care for our communities, as well as training the healthcare workforce of the future, should have the support they need to remain sustainable. Equitable access to quality healthcare in our rural regions depends upon it. https://bit.ly/4dfhuSj
