To the Editor:

From my home in Weld, Maine, it’s a 25-minute drive to the nearest pharmacy. Taking a trek along Maine’s pine-lined state highways to run errands in the nearest town isn’t a novel experience; in fact, it’s a fairly common situation for residents of our state’s rural communities, and it’s one we rejoice in, during the best of times. But during times of need, lack of access can pose a major challenge, unless it’s addressed with responsive action.

In Weld, we’re lucky to have a hospital just 30 minutes away, but for those just North of us, care can be hours away. Many of our region’s small medical facilities serve patients from an expansive radius. During COVID-19, as in any time of crisis, this lack of immediate access to care creates challenges for our state’s rural residents, but – because of swift action from our healthcare supply chain – there’s little reason for rural Mainers to fear.

Thanks to the work of our frontline medical professionals and their support from our healthcare distributors, Maine’s rural patients can feel safe in their hospitals, knowing they are still connected to a network of resources delivering critical medications and supplies to every corner of our region. And Mainers also have an increasing number of options at their disposal through remote medical appointments to help address health needs before they need to plan a trip to emergency care.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, many residents of Maine’s rural regions feared that shortages would hit us first, and critical medicines that our patients need would be difficult to obtain. In reality, the situation has been brighter because of quick action from Maine’s healthcare distributors. When I begin my 25-minute drive to the pharmacy, I know it’s just that: 25 minutes to get the medicines I’ve been prescribed. That’s because Maine’s wholesale distributors – the experts in warehousing, allocating, and distributing medicines to our state’s frontline facilities – have made rural communities part of the equation, ensuring hard-hit areas don’t completely shut off access to medical care for patients in more remote parts of the state.

And while our region has been lucky to have relatively few cases of COVID-19 comparatively, we have not gone without safety measures throughout our public spaces. Planning to isolate and care for patients in the event of an outbreak has proven invaluable. And while hospital facilities may be a drive away from our rural communities, distributors have worked with frontline medical facilities to expand telehealth options. Today, instead of driving across counties to reach the nearest emergency care facility, a growing number of Mainers are able to set up virtual doctor’s visits and ongoing telehealth services to monitor their health issues before they require a hospital visit. This way, our community can stay safe at home, getting prescriptions delivered to local pharmacies without the long trip to a doctor’s office or emergency clinic.

These developments have made an incredible difference for the health and safety of America’s rural communities, and they represent the promise of a future in which our medical system seizes on the possibilities of healthcare technology. However, they’re only possible because of smart and responsive public policy. State lawmakers must be diligent in considering the impact of any legislation on rural healthcare access, and work closely with doctors and distributors to ensure nobody – from our cities to our most remote counties – is left behind.

 

Tom Skolfield

Weld