MARINETTE, Wis. — Emplify Health by Bellin is proud to join communities across the country in celebrating National Rural Health Day (NRHD) on Thursday, Nov. 20. Since 2011, this annual observance — founded and coordinated by the National Organization of State Offices of Rural Health (NOSORH) — has been held on the third Thursday of November to spotlight the unique healthcare challenges and remarkable strength of the nearly 61 million people living in rural America.
“Rural communities are the backbone of our state, and their health is vital to our collective future,” said Dr. Ivy Vachon, a family medicine physician at Emplify Health by Bellin Marinette Clinic. “We’re proud to celebrate National Rural Health Day and honor the unwavering commitment of rural healthcare providers, organizations and community leaders who work every day to improve the lives of others.”
This year, Emplify Health by Bellin is marking the occasion with special rural health T-shirts for staff — and a special challenge for the community.
“We’re marking this annual observance with a simple call to action for those living in rural communities — establish care with a primary care provider (PCP),” Vachon said. “If you have a PCP, set and keep regular appointments, along with screenings and other health checks. It could improve your health — and even save your life.”
A PCP can advise on physical and mental wellness, help ensure patients are up to date with screenings and other preventive measures, and connect the dots in all aspects of one’s health, Heyka said. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, “It is well documented that health systems with a strong base of primary care provide better access to health services, and have improved health outcomes, lower mortality, and more equity.”
According to the nationwide Rural Health Information Hub, more than a quarter of Wisconsin’s 5.9 million residents live in non-metro areas. As a population, they have a lower average median household income and are more likely to live in poverty, as well as be unemployed and uninsured. These and other indicators are known as Social Drivers of Health (SDOH) — non-medical factors that influence overall health.
Rural residents often face other barriers, too, including the ability to access care close to home. To address this, Emplify Health by Bellin has 11 rural health clinics (RHCs) across its footprint, along with several clinics in outlying areas that aren’t classified as RHCs but nonetheless serve patients in rural communities. This summer, the health system celebrated two rural health milestones — the 20-year anniversary of Bellin Health Oconto Hospital, now known as Emplify Health by Bellin Oconto Hospital, and the 10-year anniversary of its mobile mammography and bone densitometry unit, which brings lifesaving screenings to patients in rural areas.
For more information about National Rural Health Day and how to get involved, visit PowerOfRural.org.
To learn more about Emplify Health by Bellin and access information about rural care, visit bellin.org.