New Mexico’s rural healthcare system—foundational not just to the well-being of the many New Mexicans but also to the welfare of the state as a whole—is getting much needed attention this legislative session. If this attention is transformed into support by the end of the session on February 15, the results could be life-changing in many parts of the states.
Two-thirds of New Mexicans live in areas identified as having a health provider shortage by the federal government and many of those live in rural communities, where travel distances and reduced hospital services contribute to higher mortality rates, poorer maternal and child health, more cases of untreated chronic pain, and more substance abuse. Accessing routine care in the 26 of 33 New Mexico counties that are largely rural can involve multi-hour drives to the closest provider. Accessing emergency care can be close to impossible.
Healthcare policy experts report rural hospitals, often the only healthcare available to surrounding communities, are facing financial pressures, challenging patient needs, and other pressures and closing throughout the country. While accessing healthcare has become challenging everywhere, rural populations are losing services at higher rates than urban areas. In many ways, rural hospitals are suffering from economic long-Covid; they are still feeling the impacts of the financial losses of the pandemic and must deal with increases in medical malpractice insurance costs, workforce shortages, and rising costs from a depleted position.