House Subcommittee Hearing Examines Problems With Access To Care For Veterans In Rural Areas

Main Category: Seniors / Aging
Also Included In: Caregivers / Homecare
Article Date: 04 Jul 2006 - 11:00 PDT

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Veterans who live in rural areas have to travel long distances to receive treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder and physical injuries, witnesses testified on Tuesday at a hearing of the House Veterans' Affairs Subcommittee on Health, Media General/Richmond Times-Dispatch reports. The Department of Veterans Affairs has more than 700 outpatient clinics nationwide, but only about 100 in rural counties. In addition, only 10% of physicians live in rural areas, compared with one-fourth of all U.S. residents. Graham Adams, executive director of the South Carolina Office of Rural Health, said that veterans who live in rural areas often do not seek treatment until they require hospitalization, adding that they might seek less-expensive preventive care with improved access. Adams and David Hartley, director of the Maine Rural Health Research Center, said that VA should contract locally for health care for veterans. Jonathan Perlin, VA undersecretary for health, said that the department has considered such a proposal (Crawley, Media General/Richmond Times-Dispatch, 6/29).

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