Rural residents

Paths that fix these help them.

• Pharmacy closures and pharmacy deserts: Pharmacy closures reduce access to medicines, especially without transportation.
• Rural hospital closures: Hospital closures reduce local access to care.
• Maternity care deserts: Obstetric unit closures leave pregnant people and newborns without local maternity care.
• Health professional shortage areas: Clinician shortages limit primary and mental health care access.
• Getting to care: transportation and ambulances: Closing rural emergency transport services reduce access to care.
• Racial, income, and geographic disparities: Access and outcomes differ by race, income, and location.