The COVID-19 pandemic arrived at the worst time for rural Alabamians. In the weeks leading up to our state’s first case of the unfamiliar and new virus, there were frequent warning signs that large numbers of hospitals in rural parts of the state were at risk of closing. Then, the epidemic brought those problems firmly into the spotlight.
The pandemic caused immense financial strain for Alabama’s rural hospitals at the exact time they were needed most, and staffing shortages meant the hospitals that did survive weren’t well-equipped to handle the influx of patients they were receiving. And, while the recent news that rural hospitals across the state will be receiving north of $10 million to help combat COVID-19 is welcome, especially as the extremely contagious Delta variant continues to spread through the United States, we still need to be sure we are prepping rural healthcare facilities to treat their communities and the people who live there after the pandemic finally ends.
This is especially important when it comes to caring for veterans who live in our state. Almost a quarter of veterans in our nation live in rural areas, and with nearly 370,000 veterans living right here in Alabama, we need to be sure those who have served our country have access to proper, high-quality healthcare. There needs to be a bulwark in place not just against the current crisis, but against any future ones as well, so that veterans in all parts of the country can rest assured they’ll be able to get the level of care that they need.
Accomplishing that will require a smart approach that helps to bridge the divide which makes it harder for veterans in rural areas to access health care specialists and get the care they need at the most critical moments. That way, we can limit the effects of hospital closures and staff shortages without forcing patients to travel excessive distances when they need attention. Thankfully, that’s something the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is already hard at work to do.
Through a partnership with Philips North America, the VA is bringing “eICU” technology to intensive care units (ICU) in VA hospitals across America. The eICU program means that patients and families can remotely speak with intensive care specialists about veterans’ condition, and specialists can continuously monitor patients’ health. In the end, VA patients spend less time in the ICU and see better results from their care.
Partnerships like this between the government and private companies have the potential to completely transform healthcare in the U.S., and our lawmakers should do everything they can to make more of them possible so that veterans and others in Alabama and throughout the country can experience the benefits.
We’re fortunate our state is represented by lawmakers like Congressman Mike Rogers, who has a key position on the House Armed Services Committee and no doubt recognizes just how important these types of initiatives are to helping America’s veterans. I have full confidence that he and Alabama’s other members of Congress will support legislation that helps to bring innovations like this to more people across the country. After all, our nation’s veterans have done everything to serve their country, and we should return the favor by enabling programs that make it easier for them to get necessary health care.
It’s been a tough year for Alabama’s rural hospitals, and when it’s a tough year for them, that hurts our state’s veterans and rural communities, too. It’s refreshing to see the VA partnering with private industry to mitigate the damage that’s been done, and I hope our lawmakers recognize the importance of allowing these efforts to continue.
State Sen. Tom Whatley (R-Auburn) is chairman of the Alabama Senate Judiciary Committee, a member of the Senate Healthcare Committee, and a colonel in the Alabama Army National Guard
