.png)
Rural hospitals are often the backbone of healthcare in their communities, offering essential services to populations that might otherwise be left underserved.
According to the U.S. census bureau rural healthcare systems serve as critical access points for about 46 million Americans, or 15 percent of the U.S. population. Yet according to research provided by the CDC (2023) rural Americans are more likely to die from heart disease, cancer, unintentional injury, chronic lower respiratory disease, and stroke, than their urban counterparts.
Despite being a community pillar, these systems are often grappling with a myriad of challenges. From geographic isolation to scarcity of local healthcare professionals to economic and resource constraints, the harsh reality is these critical institutions face unique challenges that threaten their ability to provide comprehensive and quality care.
1. Workforce Shortages
2. Changing Healthcare Delivery Models & Pressure to Transition to Value Based Care
3. Financial Instability and Hospital Closures
4. Aging Infrastructure and Technology Gaps
5. Disparities in Healthcare Access and Quality
1.) Workforce Shortages
Geographic isolation and fewer resources make it difficult for rural hospitals to compete with urban counterparts in attracting healthcare professionals, leading to significant staffing challenges in a time where clinical staffing in general is an issue.
Caret’s Solution: The combination of AI and a centralized team (with as little as 1 MA per 1000 patients) creates individualized care pathways while optimizing resources & workflows. This enables our solution to improve quality of care while simultaneously increasing productivity and alleviating workforce shortages, all for a lower cost than staffing the full-time equivalent. In fact, as a solution dedicated to meeting customers where they need to be met, Caret has thought extensively about the ongoing staffing crisis and is therefore equipped to address staffing issues head on by offering access to an experienced and highly qualified remote care team. This approach can alleviate strain on PCPs while helping close care gaps to improve overall quality of care.
2.) Changing Healthcare Delivery Models & Pressure to Transition to Value Based Care
The healthcare sector's evolution demands that rural hospitals transition towards more outpatient and preventive care models. Within the next 5 years CMS will require all Medicaid and Medicare patients to be a part of a Value Based Care payer model. However, financial and operational constraints make this transition challenging.
Caret’s Solution: Caret was designed as a digital solution that addresses even the most difficult Value Based Care problems. While Caret's platform is designed for turnkey implementation, it offers unique customization options for dashboards and tools tailored to the unique needs and goals of each organization. This flexibility enables organizations to focus their attention in the right areas despite resource or staffing limitations by helping them highlight and better align with their value-based care (VBC) agreements, ultimately positioning them for success even during the initial transition period.
3.) Financial Instability and Hospital Closures
Rural hospitals operate under tight budgets with a high dependency on government payers. This financial vulnerability has resulted in numerous closures, leaving communities without critical healthcare infrastructure.
Caret’s Solution: A prospective approach to data that addresses the highest-cost highest-risk populations particularly with Medicare and Medicaid. Plus, a convenient dashboard with predictive analytics and financial management tools to drive and focus efficiencies. This ensures quality and contractual goals are met while simultaneously optimizing revenue and reducing operational costs.
4.) Aging Infrastructure and Technology Gaps
Many rural healthcare facilities are hindered by outdated buildings and a lack of modern medical technology, which impacts the quality of care they can provide. Additionally, these areas are often situated further away from central internet hubs meaning weaker signal strength, service gaps, and sluggish internet connections. For many areas this limits the options for remote care.
Caret’s Solution: A turn-key digital health platform that can be integrated with existing systems, minimizing the need for an extensive infrastructure overhaul. By integrating telehealth & remote patient monitoring through various access points based around what is most convenient to the patient (for example an app, phone call, or SMS), Caret helps bridge the gap in access to care, enabling patients to receive timely and effective care and interventions without the need for extensive travel. Having this consistent access to preventative care could significantly reduce unnecessary hospitalizations.
5.) Disparities in Healthcare Access and Quality
Rural communities often face greater challenges in accessing healthcare and achieving the same quality of care as urban areas. Disparities in accessing healthcare services and achieving quality care are more pronounced in rural areas, exacerbated by longer travel distances and fewer specialized services.
Caret’s Solution: As an end-to-end solution Caret can facilitate the creation of collaborative care networks by connecting rural hospitals with additional resources. The program’s analytics capabilities enable rural hospitals to measure and improve care quality, manage chronic conditions more effectively, and make informed decisions based on real-time data. Additionally, the platform can integrate social determinants of health (SDoH) screening tools and interventions, enabling providers to identify and address non-medical factors affecting patients' health, such as food insecurity, housing, and transportation issues.
In conclusion, the challenges faced by rural healthcare systems are complex and multifaceted, demanding innovative and sustainable solutions. Caret Health focuses on making data actionable with a prospective intervention approach that may just offer rural healthcare systems a way to move forward without breaking the bank. With administrative support tools and remote care intervention Caret’s digital end-to-end solution offers a unique infrastructure that can better support outpatient care and preventive services enabling a more sustainable and cost-efficient healthcare delivery model.
All in all, Caret Health's platform offers a way forward by addressing these aforementioned challenges head-on paving the way for a more resilient and accessible rural healthcare landscape.
