Rural hospitals provide essential care to a large majority of Americans. Rural hospitals also play an important role in providing care in a timely manner to those individuals located in rural areas. Access to quality, timely care is imperative and yet many rural hospitals are closing their doors. This puts further strain on an already weak system but also puts patients at greater risk when medical care needs arise.
In order to try and combat the challenges faced by rural hospitals currently, some are turning to care guidance as a solution. Care guidance, also known as care navigation, is designed to help ensure that patients receive the right treatment at the right time, resulting in the right outcome. Care guidance is led by care guides who connect with patients and their families to establish trust and lower the barrier to important information. Care guides use their access to information and technology to successfully pair patients with the best fit treatment programs for their symptoms. Engaging with a care guide also allows for the discovery of clinical issues in a timely manner so that they may be addressed accordingly and promptly.
Successful care guidance programs result in improved efficiencies, reduced time and resource allocation, and reduced costs as a result. As labor challenges continue, care guidance also provides a solution to shortages of skilled staff such as nurses. For rural hospitals specifically, care guidance can help them combat and overcome the financial setbacks that can led to closure.