Beyond the City Limits: Innovating for Healthcare Deserts (07X)

Healthcare deserts remain a top challenge in healthcare—with a GoodRx Research report stating over 80% of U.S. counties spanning over 120 million people have trouble accessing adequate care. These deserts not only represent geographical distances but also increasing disparities in social determinants of health. Addressing these healthcare deserts will require much more than the addition of capacity and physical infrastructure. Leading healthcare systems are navigating the complexity of these deserts with bold, innovative ideas to enable a strategic, yet effective infrastructure. While there is not one single solution, these systems are pursing various approaches, including technology innovations, policy changes and clinician incentives. In this discussion, the executive healthcare panelists will share the realities of their differing healthcare deserts, and then elaborate on their strategy to overcome these deserts. The strategies include creative organizational commitments along with deployment efforts to improve accessibility and delivery of care for these underserved communities.