Nearly one in five Americans live in one of the rural areas that collectively comprise 80% of all U.S. land. With 20% of our 3,000 counties recognized as hospital deserts, access to care can be further frustrated by coverage gaps. The adoption and use of health IT holds great promise to address the prevalence of isolation, distance, and lack of resources. Yet, each component of technology and infrastructure presents challenges linked to workforce, funding and best practices. Panelists will discuss rural health communities, loss of services, impact on public health, use of technologies, and ongoing initiatives to address the rural health dilemma.
