{'fraction_non_alphanumeric': 0.016170212765957447, 'fraction_numerical': 0.0, 'mean_word_length': 5.0932642487046635, 'pattern_counts': {'":': 0, '<': 0, '<?xml version=': 0, '>': 0, 'https://': 0, 'lorem ipsum': 0, 'www.': 0, 'xml': 0}, 'pii_count': 0, 'substrings_counts': 0, 'word_list_counts': {'cursed_substrings.json': 0, 'profanity_word_list.json': 0, 'sexual_word_list.json': 0, 'zh_pornsignals.json': 0}}
CENTER FOR THE STUDY OF RURAL AMERICA Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City Bridging the Gap in Rural Healthcare Commentary on the rural economy The Main Street Economist

Healthcare is a vital component of the rural economy. Not only is it an essential service to support a growing economy, but it also brings high-wage jobs to the communities it serves. In addition, a good healthcare system is an important indicator of an area’s quality of life. Healthcare, like education, is important to people and businesses when deciding where to locate. Nevertheless, the value of a good healthcare system is often overlooked when regions are crafting economic development plans and programs. Providing access to healthcare has become extremely difficult for many rural areas. Such areas are often isolated and thinly populated, creating unique challenges for providing healthcare services in rural areas. Still, some innovative ways to enhance rural health have emerged in rural America. A common theme in these innovations is partnership—both geographically and across healthcare providers. State and federal CENTER FOR THE STUDY OF RURAL AMERICA Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City