BRYAN, Texas (KBTX) – Access to medical care is vital to a thriving community. National Rural Health Day highlights the work being done to expand access.

This is especially true here in Texas. Since 2010, 26 rural hospitals have closed, more than any other state. But attention from Texas A&M and help from the state Legislature and federal resources hope to turn the tide.

“More than 4 million Texans need health care and it’s important to remember their needs,” said Dr. Kia Parsi, executive director of Texas A&M’s Rural and Community Health Institute and Rural Program. from the College of Medicine.

Texas A&M received support during the 88th legislative session, allowing it to continue its efforts.

“As we celebrate National Rural Health Day, it is important to remember that as a land-grant institution, this is essential to the mission of Texas A&M University. How can we support our rural communities? he said.

By training the next generation of doctors and encouraging them to learn in rural health care settings in the Brazos Valley region, Dr. Parsi says they are in a unique position to ensure access to health care for all. health care.

“How can we encourage our medical students, our nursing students, our pharmacy students and our dental students to be exposed to rural communities so that these students can consider this as a future career option,” a- he declared.

Legislative funds helped advance a mobile clinic to the finish line in recent years. This is run by the Texas A&M College of Nursing and Clinical Associate Professor Dr. Nicole Peters Kroll says they are able to bring students to patients throughout the state.

She says it has allowed residents to access care they didn’t have before, expand their knowledge about how to live a healthy life and even increase their trust in healthcare professionals.

“Even though we are only in each community one day a week, we also provide telehealth services on the days we are not there. We are therefore a clinic in our own right, even if we are on wheels. It took a little while to trust ourselves and know that we will come back every week to see them,” she said.

Dr. Peters Kroll says it also inspired a generation of future medical professionals. As children in these communities are exposed to healthcare workers, more and more are interested in joining the profession.

In the meantime, experts continue to do what they can to fill in the gaps, many of which continue to appear today. Just this week, CapRock announced the closure of its hospital in Bryan and its emergency room in College Station.

“Hopefully (medical systems) don’t shut down, but we also have to realize what’s achievable and the economics of health care are very difficult,” Dr. Parsi said.

That’s why he says they will continue to work on the front lines to close the gap with support from the federal and state governments.

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