Rural Healthcare

More than 50 years ago, Terry Reilly was sent to Nampa to help the farmworker community. Today, Terry Reilly Health Services operates clinics across southwest Idaho, providing much-needed healthcare to our state's rural areas.

A panel discussion about the issues facing healthcare systems and how those issues are impacting care for Idahoans.

When it comes to Idaho's rural communities access to Emergency Medical Services can be limited. That's due in part to the fact that EMS is not considered an essential service in the Gem State. Funding and staffing issues also pose obstacles, often leaving patients in these areas with longer wait times and a reduced quality of care - putting the responsibility of these services back on rural communities.

More than half of seniors choose private Medicare Advantage plans instead of traditional Medicare. As rural enrollment increases, many small-town hospitals say that threatens their viability.

Food insecurity amongst American Indians and Hispanics was one of the focus of the first Idaho Healthcare Conference organized by the Idaho Commission on Hispanic Affairs. People of color in the state are more likely to face barriers to access.

Hospital administrators say they are losing money on their obstetrics programs. But many are keeping these wings open anyway to answer a dire community need.

Data from the University of Iowa show that rural death rates across the region rose sharply from mid-October through November. Residents in non-metro areas were dying at twice the rate of those in cities.

The report from Idaho’s Office of Performance Evaluation has data from half of the state’s agencies. About 80% of EMS agency directors surveyed reported insufficient staff and funding to meet community needs.

Elko County Nevada is reeling from a spike in COVID-related deaths after the delta variant surged across the West. It’s the latest challenge for an area that was already struggling with a doctor shortage.

The news of a promising COVID-19 vaccine from pharmaceutical giant Pfizer and the German company BioNTech is generating optimism this week. But in the...