Understanding local health care priorities is essential to developing meaningful solutions.
Rural communities make up a substantial portion of the US population and face health care challenges that are often different from those seen in more urban settings. Geographic isolation, workforce shortages, transportation barriers, and limited health care infrastructure can all affect access to care and health outcomes.1 Although the specific needs of rural communities may vary, understanding local health care priorities is essential to developing meaningful solutions.
Ashley Quigg is a 2029 PharmD candidate and MPH student at the Idaho State University (ISU) LS Skaggs College of Pharmacy and Health Professions.
Elaine Nguyen, PharmD, MPH, MBA, BCACP, is an associate professor at the ISU LS Skaggs College of Pharmacy and Health Professions and practices at the Boise Veterans Affairs Medical Center.
One way communities identify their most pressing health concerns is through community health needs assessments (CHNAs), which are required by many hospitals and health systems nationwide to evaluate the needs of the communities and populations they serve.2 Although methodologies for these assessments differ between organizations, CHNAs can provide valuable insights into the public health issues communities view as being the most important.
To better understand my state’s identified priorities, we reviewed publicly available CHNAs from hospitals across Idaho, a predominantly rural state. The assessments highlighted a wide range of concerns, including chronic disease, behavioral health, substance use, health literacy, and access to care. Individual communities often emphasized different priorities depending on their own unique needs.
One notable finding was the frequency with which many social drivers of health appeared in these assessments. Safe and affordable housing, homelessness, transportation, and access to community resources were repeatedly identified as concerns. These findings served as an important reminder that health outcomes are influenced by far more than health care needs alone.
This review also revealed limitations in relying solely on CHNAs to understand community health needs. Not all hospitals had publicly available assessments, and methodologies for data collection varied considerably among those that did. CHNAs should be viewed as one piece of a larger picture rather than a comprehensive representation of every community's needs. Nevertheless, they remain a useful tool for understanding local public health priorities and identifying opportunities for intervention.
Understanding these priorities is important for many health care professionals, particularly for pharmacy professionals. The challenges identified in rural communities include chronic disease, behavioral health concerns, substance use, preventive care needs, and barriers to access, all of which are areas where pharmacy professionals can have a meaningful impact.
First and foremost, we are accessible. Pharmacies often offer extended hours for medication pickup, while providing cost-effective advice and consultations. In many cases, patients interact with pharmacists more frequently than with their primary care providers. In rural areas where access to care is limited, pharmacists often become one of the most consistent and reliable points of contact within the health care system.3
Second, we are capable. Pharmacists are extensively trained in medication management, disease state treatment, and patient counseling. Technicians and pharmacists alike contribute to the team with both depth and breadth of knowledge. As a technician for 4 years and now a student intern, I am continually struck not only by how much there is to learn, but also by how much pharmacists are expected to know, and how often that expertise is underrecognized, particularly in community settings where we are most visible.
Third, we are shaping the profession. Health care is evolving, and pharmacy is evolving with it. We are not just participants within the profession; we are actively defining its direction. Patients will always need care. Whether we are willing to step into the gaps left by limited access, provider shortages, and fragmented systems is up to us.
Rural health care gaps are real, and they are significant. But they also present an opportunity. Pharmacists can expand into roles in chronic disease management, behavioral health support, substance use treatment, and women’s health. We can improve access, provide education, and advocate for underserved populations.
Seeing these gaps, especially as a student, is sobering. Recognizing where we as pharmacy professionals can step in to help fill these gaps is inspiring. The future of rural health care will depend, in part, on whether we are willing to meet these needs. That responsibility can begin with our own practice and individual advocacy.
As pharmacy professionals, we do not need to wait for change when we position ourselves to create it. If we do not take active steps to fill these gaps, they will persist, and our patients will continue to fall through them. The question is no longer whether we can fill these gaps, but whether we will.
25 minutes ago
Using Pharmacy School as a Pathway to Self-Actualization2 days ago
From Crisis to Care, Pharmacies Step Up
