It's a long way to the big city for the 62 million US residents living in rural areas. The peace and quiet might be nice, but what about when a health concern arises, especially during after-hours?
Does this symptom need to be seen by a doctor immediately?
How much time does it take to drive to the nearest ER or medical facility?
If it is far away, is it best to stay home and see if the symptoms might go away?
These are important questions that those living in sparsely populated areas with limited medical care must ask themselves when evaluating if a trip to a health facility is worth it. Quite often, time, money, and emergency medical resources are wasted on acute-minor health concerns because there aren't adequate medical services available to answer simple questions. Likewise, it is possible that serious conditions are not properly tended to because emergency personnel weren't available, people were not aware that their condition was life threatening, or they thought they could maybe "wait it out".
According to the Office of Rural Health Policy and the Rural Assistance Center, one of the best ways for health facilities to remedy the distance-challenged problem is to use telehealth services. While most telehealth discussions researched for this article were focused on telepharmacists and video conferencing between doctors and patients in rural areas, an easy solution is to offer triage and general health information in the form of a nurse advice line.
Why a Nurse Advice Line Works for Rural Communities
Nurse advice lines provide a constant connection between healthcare facilities and health plans with high rural populaces and their patients and members. Telephonic nurse advice lines are ideal because the only item each consumer needs is a telephone. No additional facilities, video equipment, broadband reach, or mobile phone coverage is necessary.
One example of a state that actively addressed the health of its outlying population is New Mexico. This state has experienced success with the implementation of the first public-private health advice line in the nation in 2006. "This is one more way we are increasing access to health care in New Mexico," says Lt. Governor Diane D. Denish. "Through this advice line, New Mexicans will be able to get the most up-to-date information about how they should respond in the case of a health emergency."
While a nurse advice line does not completely take the place of a physician in the case of an emergency, a phone-based encounter does offer valuable information to determine how best to handle symptoms. Routine triage or advice for minor conditions like sinus infections, flu symptoms, and headaches are perfect reasons to use a nurse advice line.
Nurse advice lines also help determine if those with severe conditions should seek emergency assistance rather than tempting fate by waiting for symptoms to go away, or for their local health center to open in the morning. Ultimately, geographical distance should not be a deterrent when it comes to a person's health.
Do you live in or provide health services to a rural area? If so, what health options are available to you or which do you offer?
