Figuring out how to expand healthcare access in Pennsylvania's rural communities * Pennsylvania Capital-Star

Expanding healthcare access in Pennsylvania’s rural communities hinges on solving persistent staffing gaps. About 20% of Pennsylvanians live in rural areas, yet only 10% of doctors and hospitals operate there, and just 6% of dentists practice outside metropolitan or suburban counties. A proposal to create Primary Care Medics, championed by Dr. Mark Stephens of Penn State College of Medicine, aims to extend primary care into homes via medics armed with high-tech tablets. These providers would triage medication management, diabetes and blood sugar monitoring, and physical assessments, with potential to broaden focus to oral, maternal, behavioral health, and aging issues. A mobile integrated health paramedic approach has shown benefits in home safety and care coordination for seniors. State buy-in is crucial to craft curriculum and sustain a new layer of healthcare staff.