CLEVELAND —
When heart care comes to you, lives are saved
For people living in rural and semi-rural communities, getting specialized medical care often means long drives, delayed diagnoses and worse outcomes. A new study is putting hard numbers behind what many already suspected — proximity to quality cardiac care saves lives.
The research comes from University Hospitals Harrington Heart & Vascular Institute at UH Portage Medical Center in Ravenna, Ohio. The study examined what happened in Portage County — a semi-rural community historically burdened by high rates of cardiovascular disease — after a major investment in local cardiac services was made nearly a decade ago.
Ischemic heart disease, which occurs when the heart muscle does not receive enough blood, remains one of the leading causes of death worldwide. In rural areas like Portage County, geographic isolation has historically meant delayed treatment and poorer outcomes compared to more urban communities with greater access to specialty care…