In a recent opinion, the Duluth News Tribune editorial board discusses the unique challenges of providing rural health care, including ongoing issues with access to specialty care and mental health care. The editorial quoted Essentia Health CEO Dr. David Herman:
“To what extent should a tradeoff be reasonable? When you live in a rural area, you’ve, quote, made a decision. But you may or may not have. When you’re healthy, you never think about that. When you’re 75 years old, you start to think more about where you live. But when you’re 35 and having a family and working on the farm or working in the mine, that’s not something you’re considering. So, do we tell people you can live (in a rural setting) until you’re 65, and then you have to move closer to health care? … These are conversations we need to have. Do our expectations meet realities?”
