The Summerland Advocate-Messenger - Reliable, Trustworthy Reporting, Capturing The Heartbeat Of Our Community

In a state that’s 92% farmland, one of the biggest issues we face in our health care system is disparate outcomes for our rural population. Eighty-five of Nebraska’s rural communities are considered medically underserved areas, and that’s just for primary care services.

This is concerning — rural populations are significantly more vulnerable to health inequities and poor, often preventable outcomes. The age-adjusted death rate in rural areas is 20% higher than that of urban areas.

There’s a relatively simple solution: More rural health care providers and organizations in Nebraska...