Perry County Memorial Hospital (PCMH) will join the National Organization of State Offices of Rural Health (NOSORH) and other state/national rural stakeholders in celebrating National Rural Health Day on Thursday, November 18, 2021.
NOSORH founded National Rural Health Day as a way to showcase rural America; increase awareness of rural health-related challenges; and promote the efforts of NOSORH, State Offices of Rural Health and others in addressing those challenges. National Rural Health Day is an annual day of recognition which occurs on the third Thursday of November.
An estimated 57 million people – nearly one in five Americans – live in rural and frontier communities throughout the United States. “Perry County is a wonderful place to live and work; we know our neighbors know each other and work together to make our community a preferred place to live,” says Brian Herwig, PCMH CEO. “The hospital and providers serving the community not only provide quality patient care, but they also help keep good jobs in our community.”
Our community also faces unique healthcare needs. “Today more than ever, rural communities must tackle accessibility issues, a lack of healthcare providers, the needs of an aging population suffering from a greater number of chronic conditions, and larger percentages of un- and underinsured citizens,” Herwig says. “Meanwhile, rural hospitals, like PCMH, are threatened with declining reimbursement rates and disproportionate funding levels that make it challenging to serve our residents.”
State Offices of Rural Health play a key role in addressing those needs. All 50 states maintain a State Office of Rural Health, each of which shares a similar mission: to foster relationships, disseminate information and provide technical assistance that improves access to, and the quality of, health care for its rural citizens.
Press Release – National Rural health Day
First and foremost, National Rural Health Day is an opportunity to “Celebrate Rural Strength” by celebrating the spirit that prevails in rural America that is selfless, community-minded, “can do.” It also offers an opportunity to highlight the specific health issues faced by rural residents and communities and to illustrate the efforts of rural healthcare providers, state rural health offices, and other rural stakeholders to tackle those challenges.
For additional information about National Rural Health Day, visit www.PowerofRural.org
