H E A LT H & W E L L N E S S
Partners in Rural Healthcare
Access to healthcare in
rural areas across the U.S.
is significantly limited when
compared to urban centers.
This difference can be keenly
felt in much of rural Texas. In
the Brazos Valley, there is only
one primary care physician for
every 5,418 patients.
“We have major areas across our state
with physician shortages,” said Carrie L.
Byington, M.D., vice chancellor for health
services at The Texas A&M University
System, senior vice president of the Texas
A&M Health Science Center, and dean
of the Texas A&M College of Medicine.
“Across Texas, we have 147 counties with
no obstetricians or gynecologists and 35
counties with no physicians at all.”
The lack of access to healthcare
services results in higher morbidity and
mortality rates for rural residents, who
sometimes have to travel hours to receive
proper medical care. “That time can
make the difference between life and
death in emergency situations,” said Kia
Parsi, M.D., chief medical officer at CHI
St. Joseph Health. “Part of our challenge
is that many new medical school
graduates have a desire to practice in
urban areas or suburban cities instead of
rural communities.”
Earlier this year, CHI St. Joseph Health
announced that it had strengthened its
partnership with Texas A&M University
to establish a cobranded primary care
network, improve access to care in the
CHI ST. JOSEPH HEALTH
Brazos Valley, and strengthen training for
future clinicians.
One goal of the partnership is to
give medical students the chance to
experience what rural medicine is like and
encourage them to practice in rural areas
once they graduate.
“I think it’s important to give medical
students the opportunity to see the
advantages of practicing rural healthcare,”
Dr. Parsi said. “Allowing students to see
those benefits can really open their eyes
and help them appreciate how great it is
to work in a small town where you’re a
physician for families and part of the fabric
of the community.
“The university decided to reemphasize
the education of students who want to
pursue rural healthcare,” Dr. Parsi said.
“That made CHI St. Joseph Health an ideal
partner, because we’re surrounded by rural
communities and have four rural hospitals.”
Though there is much work to be done,
both CHI St. Joseph Health and Texas
A&M University are well positioned to make
a difference for local community members
who deserve quality healthcare.
For more information, visit
chistjoseph.org.
38
INSITE January 2019
SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION