Improving our healthcare
Comprehensive women's healthcare is a critical need
Healthcare is a basic right in the United States. Yet, we've lost our access to high quality expertise, experience, and facilities for women. Medical experts are fearful of criminal prosecution if they provide the standard of care to newborns and pregnant women. Our physicians (OB/GYNs and others) have fled District 1 for locations that allow them to focus on practicing medicine.
Healthcare impacts everything
- Local employers cannot attract quality employees.
- Tourists second guess the choice to vacation here.
- Some are calling Bonner County a "healthcare desert".
- Rural hospitals everywhere are struggling and we've accelerated broad sweeping healthcare troubles here.
- Pregnant women in our counties rely on Life Flight Memberships in the event of pregnancy complications.
The challenges of rural healthcare
We can create an environment where our healthcare providers thrive. Other rural locations, similar to ours, have attracted the best and the brightest medical minds because of the quality of life ... because they have recreation like ours and a thriving community.
The financial burdens on rural hospitals tough. We need to legislate to make it easier, not more difficult for hospitals to stay open. Despite the divisive climate, I do believe that most of us agree that quality healthcare is something we want. Let's problem solve collaboratively, systemically, and rationally.
Seeing healthcare through the three lenses
Local - We want everyone to have access to safe, excellent healthcare.
Freedom - We are not free when politicians are making our medical decisions.
An Economy that Works - To attract the best workers to our community, we must have adequate healthcare for the whole family.
