The evolution of technology, especially artificial intelligence (AI), is impacting healthcare – and access to care – in ways we never could have imagined a few years ago. And while the advancements are touted to lead to faster diagnoses, new treatments and alternative pathways to care, they can also inadvertently leave large gaps for some of our most vulnerable residents to fall through.
Michigan has 75 designated rural or partial rural counties, with 1 in 4 Michiganders living in designated Health Care Provider Shortage Areas. As Michigan works to address the rural healthcare workforce though the federal Rural Health Transformation Program, we want to embrace the impact that innovative technological solutions bring … but we can’t afford to do so without also investing in the workforce that helps ensure our most underserved community members understand how to use it, how to access care they need, and how to overcome barriers that threaten their ability to even make an appointment, let alone follow treatment plans.
That’s what our Community Health Workers do every day in this state, and we desperately need more of them, especially in rural areas.
As Michigan prepares to make pivotal decisions regarding the future of the rural healthcare workforce, we must understand that we cannot make true progress unless we go beyond the walls of our hospitals and clinics and invest in the healthcare professionals who literally go into the fields and orchards, down the isolated dirt roads, and into communities where public transportation is nonexistent and WiFi connections are rare. Yes, I’m talking about investing in growing and sustaining Community Health Workers, the people who are transforming healthcare one relationship at a time.
There are very few things more personal than our healthcare. While the latest and greatest tech innovations may bring ease to certain aspects, nothing holds a candle to the human side of care. And for those in our communities who struggle with technology, something as simple as logging into a health portal or making an appointment online can seem out of reach … until a Community Health Worker walks them through it step by step. In plain language and in their preferred language.
You see, Community Health Workers are trusted members of the communities they serve. They help people navigate the health care system, manage chronic conditions, access preventive care, and connect to essential resources like food, transportation and housing. Just as importantly, they build trust – something that can make the difference between a patient falling through the cracks and receiving the care they need.
That trust delivers results. In rural Michigan, it can be transformative.
Michigan has already recognized the value of this workforce by establishing Medicaid reimbursement for eligible Community Health Worker services. While this is a significant step toward sustainability, Community Health Workers must complete Medicaid Registry-aligned training and their employers must fulfill key elements to receive the reimbursement. It may sound complex, but that’s what MHP Salud specializes in – and training this workforce has been the cornerstone of our organization since 1983, when we were founded to help Michigan’s rural farmworkers access health services. Our commitment to our state’s underserved populations has only intensified.
Through the Rural Health Transformation Program, Michigan has been awarded $173 million to improve health care access and outcomes in rural communities. The program is designed around community-driven solutions, strong partnerships, workforce development and bringing services closer to where people live.
It isn’t coincidence that Community Health Workers are at the center of all these strategies and need to be at the forefront of the conversation.
Even better news, Michigan doesn’t need to build this workforce from scratch.
Thousands of dedicated frontline healthcare workers are already embedded in communities.
The question is whether we will give them the training and infrastructure to grow.
For those who believe — as we do at MHP Salud – every Michigander should have a fair shot at good health and care — this is the moment to act. Advocate for and invest in the Community Health Worker workforce. To learn more about MHP Salud and training and sustaining the CHW workforce, visit mhpsalud.org.
Dr. Maggie Dante is CEO of MHP Salud, a Michigan-founded nonprofit with more than 40 years of experience improving public health outcomes through community health work, care navigation and nationally recognized training and apprenticeship programs.