 As a group, rural communities tend to be older and sicker than residents in urban areas. At the same time, they have less access to health care, which means their conditions are often diagnosed later with more serious findings.
The Healthier Washington Rural Health Innovation Accelerator Committee has produced a report that identifies “A New Vision for Rural Health in Washington State,” based on an assessment of the rural health landscape and a series of convenings that included entrepreneurs and thought leaders from the public and private sectors.
“To address this problem, access to quality health care must be increased and sustained in rural areas of our state. This includes health risk assessments, prevention and wellness programs,” the report says. The committee, a subgroup of the initiative’s Health Innovation Leadership Network, puts forth seven areas of opportunity to transform the way rural Washingtonians receive health care.
The committee is optimistic that Washington State’s leadership in technology and health care innovation will present momentum and resources to lead the nation in resolving the inequities in rural health.
“Our committee believes the breakthroughs for Washington may not come from the institutional players of health care (payers, providers and government institutions) but in part from Washington’s unique environment of backyard companies.”
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