MU study says rural health care is changing. Those in the Ozarks know first-hand
A University of Missouri study found that health care organizations have to assume new roles to better care for their rural communities. For some in the Ozarks, this has already been the norm.
The MU researchers spoke with 14 rural organizations, including federally-qualified health centers, hospitals, behavioral health providers, and networks and other entities. Associate professor Julie Kapp with the College of Health was the lead author on the study.
“One of the main takeaways of this research is that health care is much more broad today than before, and it incorporates basic social services that are often not thought of as health care related,” said Beau Underwood, a doctoral student who collaborated with Kapp on the study, in a press release. “We need to think beyond just what happens in the doctor’s office, and part of that is thinking about if patients have transportation to get to the doctor’s office in the first place, or if there is even a physician in the patient’s area.”
Some Ozarks health orgs already address whole continuum of needs
Places like Jordan Valley Community Health Center, which is based in Springfield but has locations in Lebanon, Marshfield and Republic, already take into account social services. Team members connect residents with resources to address things like food insecurity, housing instability or lack of transportation.
The research team found that 100% of the organizations interviewed provided assistance with transportation, while 86% provided support or referrals for mental health care, 79% provided food assistance, 71% provided housing assistance and 50% provided dental assistance.
Burrell Behavioral Health provides in-school services to 60 districts in Missouri, including Springfield Public Schools. While these partnerships provide a much-needed resource, they also remove barriers of cost and transportation, and limit the time kids are out of school.
Especially for students in rural areas, receiving mental health services in school means that parents don't have to take off work, take their child out of school and then spend time and money driving to the appointment.
More: SPS-Burrell pact fills gap in student mental health care
Webster County mobile health unit brings blood draws, testing to residents
In the MU study, every entity surveyed said that transportation was an issue — often affecting multiple aspects of someone's life, and preventing them from accessing medication, medical services and food. Webster County's Health Unit is already trying to help its residents overcome that barrier with its mobile health unit.
"You know, 20 miles from one portion of the county makes a 40-mile round trip. Us being able to be in their community, bringing the service to their door, or their town, has helped to reduce that disparity," said Louise Bigley, head of WCHU's health education team.
WCHU director Scott Allen explained that having the service available within people's communities, rather than having to drive to Lebanon, Springfield or even the health department building in Marshfield, can sometimes be the difference between getting food on the table that night or going hungry. The WCHU also recently eliminated its $7 fees for blood draws as well as for lead, pregnancy, and TB testing.
More: Mobile health unit in Webster Co. aims to go beyond flu shots, foster community connections
While the health department does what it can to make services more available, Allen stressed that they can't fill all health needs.
“It’s important to note that public health doesn’t and shouldn’t take the place of that primary care provider, but we really want to be in a position to support that provider to (offer) services on a very local and affordable basis," Allen said.
Susan Szuch is the health and public policy reporter for the Springfield News-Leader. Follow her on X, formerly known as Twitter, at @szuchsm. Story idea? Email her at sszuch@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: MU study reflects what the Ozarks already know about rural health care
