89th Texas Legislative Session
HEALTH AND HOPE: REACHING RURAL TEXANS TOGETHER
Lifesaving Care for Rural Texas
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Texas ranks third nationwide for cancer cases and mortality. For rural Texans, there are significant barriers to cancer care. The region faces a shortage of health care providers and increased travel distances, leading to delayed diagnoses and poorer outcomes. The Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center (TTUHSC) Rural Cancer Collaborative will close the gap between cutting-edge treatment and underserved communities, forging a path to improved health outcomes. The best way to predict the future is to create it. |
The Reality of Access to Care for Rural Texas
Rural populations consistently experience higher cancer mortality rates and diagnoses at advanced stages.
Many must travel more than 300 miles to reach a National Cancer Institute-Designated Cancer Center.
22% of rural Texans are uninsured, limiting access to preventative health services.
EXCEPTIONAL ITEM REQUEST:
$50 MILLION FOR THE 26-27 BIENNIUM
This funding will allow us to:
- Build a rural cancer network by integrating cancer care specialists to provide coordinated care, telehealth services and increased access for rural hospitals and clinics.
- Expand the number of available oncology graduate medical education (GME) slots at partnering rural hospitals and clinics to strengthen the rural oncology workforce.
- Reduce the burden of costly cancer prevention and care by ensuring rural hospitals can access early detection and critical therapies.
- Enhance cutting-edge treatment, bringing innovative cancer care to rural Texans.
TTUHSC advances education, research and patient care, forming the foundation that drives the three pillars of our cancer care strategy:
ADDRESSING THESE DISPARITIES THROUGH TARGETED CANCER SCREENING AND EARLY DIAGNOSIS INITIATIVES IS CRUCIAL FOR IMPROVING HEALTH OUTCOMES IN RURAL TEXAS.
WE LAID THE GROUNDWORK FOR RURAL ACCESS TO CARE
Thanks to a $10 million vote of confidence from the Texas Legislature during the 88th session, TTUHSC has developed and implemented a viable foundation for significant expansion in rural access to care through telemedicine.
Five telehealth-centric projects are actively addressing diverse health care needs across rural regions. These initiatives are critical to achieving improved long-term access to care.
