Citizens’ Opinions Of Healthcare And Maternal Health In Rural Pennsylvania?

Pennsylvania’s health deserts are increasing due to 33 hospital closures in 20 years, with a clear disparity between urban and rural areas. A report from the organization shows that 47.6 of women in rural Pennsylvania live more than 30 minutes from a birthing hospital, compared to 11.9 of women living in urban areas. Public health officials warned lawmakers at a hearing about an “alarming” trend in rural health — a lack of labor and delivery services. Policies need to ensure that rural pregnant women have adequate access to maternity services. Barriers to increasing rural OB access include maternal health provider barriers.

The Pennsylvania Department of Health has implemented hospital models to improve the health care system efficacy, including:

Six of Pennsylvania’s 67 counties now classify as “maternal health deserts”, according to a new March of Dimes Report. The report uses data from the U.S. Penn Highlands President and CEO Steve Fontaine, who made over $1.2 million in 2021, told state lawmakers during a February hearing on rural care challenges.

To ensure all women in Pennsylvania have healthy pregnancies, the Pennsylvania Department of Health has made maternal and child health a priority. Pennsylvania hospitals in rural areas often do not have the financial resources or workforce necessary to maintain and expand access to care needed in the region. Studies in Pennsylvania have shown that there is more than a 10% difference in access to well-child visits between Black infants and white infants.