National Rural Health Day is Thursday; webinars available on a variety of health issues

The fourth annual National Rural Health Day is scheduled for Thursday. The yearly event is "an opportunity to 'Celebrate the Power of Rural' by honoring the selfless, community-minded, 'can do' spirit of that prevails in rural America," says the organization's website. "But it also gives us a chance to bring to light the unique healthcare challenges that rural citizens face–and showcase the efforts of rural healthcare providers, State Offices of Rural Health and other rural stakeholders to address those challenges."

"Today more than ever, rural communities must address accessibility issues, a lack of healthcare providers, the needs of an aging population suffering from a greater number of chronic conditions and larger percentages of un- and underinsured citizens," says National Rural Health Day. "And rural hospitals–which are often the economic foundation of their communities in addition to being the primary providers of care–struggle daily as declining reimbursement rates and disproportionate funding levels make it challenging to serve their residents."

National Rural Health Day consists of a series of webinars on: AgriSafe—Growing Families Strong: Protecting the People who Feed America, ORHP Quality Showcase, Rural Health 101: States & Communities at Work, ACA and You, Rural Policy and Advocacy Issues, and Collaborative Rural Success Stories. (Read more)