Outreach physiatry clinics in remote Manitoba communities: an economic cost analysis.

BACKGROUND: One in 5 people in Canada have a disability affecting daily activities, and, for rural patients, accessing lifelong physiatry care to improve function and manage symptoms requires complex and expensive travel. We compared the costs of new outreach physiatry clinics with those of conventional urban clinics in Manitoba. METHODS: Six outreach clinics were held from January 2018 to September 2019 in the remote communities of St. Theresa Point and Churchill, Manitoba. A general physiatry population was seen in these clinics, including patients with musculoskeletal and neurologic conditions seen in consultation and follow-up. We performed a societal cost-minimization analysis comparing outreach clinic costs to estimated costs of standard care at conventional outpatient clinics in Winnipeg. Outcomes of interest included direct costs to government health services and patients, and indirect opportunity cost of travel time. We calculated total costs, average cost per clinic visit and incremental costs for outreach clinics compared to conventional urban clinics. Costs were inflated to 2020 Canadian dollars. RESULTS: Thirty-one patients (48 visits) were seen at the outreach clinics. The total cost of providing outreach clinics, $33 136, was 21% of the estimated cost of standard care, $158 344. When only direct costs were included, outreach clinics cost an estimated 24% of conventional care costs. The average unit cost per outreach visit was $690, compared to $3299 per conventional visit, for an incremental cost of -$2609 per outreach visit. INTERPRETATION: An outreach physiatry visit in Manitoba cost an estimated 21% of a conventional urban outpatient visit, or 24% when only direct costs were included, with costs savings largely related to travel. Outreach physiatry care in this model provides substantial cost savings for the public health care system as the primary payer, and can reduce the travel cost burden for patients who do not have public travel funding.

Polypharmacy and Cognition Function Among Rural Adults.

BACKGROUND: Polypharmacy (using≥5 medications) is associated with poor health outcomes. Mixed results from past studies surrounding chronic medication use, control of chronic conditions, and their effects on cognitive performance warrant further attention. OBJECTIVE: Investigate a link between polypharmacy and cognition function in rural-dwelling adults in Texas, USA. METHODS: Project FRONTIER (Facing Rural Obstacles to Healthcare Now Through Intervention, Education & Research) is a cross-sectional epidemiological study using community-based participatory research in three counties of Texas. Residents age > 40 were eligible for inclusion. The primary outcome is cognitive impairment, and exposures of interest are polypharmacy; comorbidities; and diabetes, hypertension, and depression medication. Logistic regression was used to assess association. RESULTS: Six hundred eighty-nine individuals participated; the mean age was 61, and the majority were female (68.7%).The median number of medications taken by participants was 3.3 (IQR: 0-5); the rate of polypharmacy was 29.6%. Anti-hypertensive agents were the most common medications (15%) used. Polypharmacy users were 2.84 times more likely to have cognitive impairment [OR: 2.84, 95%CI (1.32-6.09)] than those using < 5 medications. Participants on hypertensive medications had 1.85 times higher odds [OR: 1.85, 95%CI (1.14-3.01)] of having cognitive impairment than those who did not have cognitive impairment. CONCLUSION: Polypharmacy increases the odds of cognitive impairment. The odds of presenting with cognitive impairment increased as the number of medications increased. Additionally, we identified a large, concerning number of participants with pharmacotherapy and poor chronic disease management. A larger study should examine medication adherence among rural elders to manage chronic disease and any healthcare barriers to adherence.

Transition from pediatric to adult aftercare for survivors of pediatric cancer in Newfoundland and Labrador: a qualitative study.

BACKGROUND: Childhood cancer survivors (CCSs) face increased risks during the period when they leave pediatric care and transition into adult-focused aftercare. We examined the experiences of CCSs entering adult-focused aftercare to gain a better understanding of current transition practices and barriers to transition, and to identify opportunities for improving care. METHODS: We conducted a qualitative study using in-person and telephone semi-structured interviews. Childhood cancer survivors who recently transitioned out of pediatric care and health care providers (HCPs) who provide care for CCSs in Newfoundland and Labrador were identified using purposive sampling. Participants were interviewed between July 2017 and March 2019. Data were analyzed using both qualitative descriptive and thematic analysis. RESULTS: We conducted interviews with 5 CCSs and 9 HCPs. All CCSs interviewed reported receiving aftercare through their pediatric oncology program; only 2 reported receiving any form of aftercare in the adult setting. The lack of a structured transition process for CCSs in the province emerged as a theme in this study. Interview participants identified several barriers to transition: the added challenges for survivors in rural areas, changes in the availability of services after the transition to adult-focused aftercare, challenges associated with navigating the adult system, and a lack of education on transitioning into adult aftercare. INTERPRETATION: We found that there was little preparation for the transition of CCSs into adult care, and their aftercare was disrupted. Programs serving CCSs have opportunities to improve care by standardizing and better supporting these transitions, for example through the development of context-appropriate educational resources.

Survey of Neonates in Pomerania (SNiP): Study design and cohort update.

BACKGROUND: The health status of newborns is a major concern for parents and medical personnel. Recent studies have provided increasing evidence that factors from the foetal and perinatal periods of life influence health later in life. The "Follow-up of the Survey of Neonates in Pomerania" (SNiP-I-Follow-up) is the first follow-up of the population-based birth cohort study, SNiP-I, established in north-east Germany. OBJECTIVES: The primary aim of SNiP-I-Follow-up study was the collection of longitudinal data on children and adolescents. The associations will be analysed between risk factors in pregnancy and the perinatal period and health status in infancy and later childhood. POPULATION: The population-based cohort study SNiP-I was conducted in Pomerania in north-east Germany between February 2002 and November 2008. All mothers from the SNiP-I birth cohort were recontacted when their children were from 9 to 15 years of age. DESIGN: The SNiP-I-Follow-up study was carried out between December 2016 and August 2017 and is a questionnaire-based survey. METHODS: Physical development, health status, and social behaviour (school and leisure behaviour) of children were analysed using a questionnaire comprising medical, epidemiological, and socio-economic data, associated health care risk factors, and life circumstances of newborns, children, and their parents. PRELIMINARY RESULTS: Out of 5725 children invited to participate in the SNiP-I-Follow-up study between December 2016 and August 2017, 29% (n = 1665) children participated in the SNiP-I-Follow-up study, providing data on 1665 mothers-child dyads. Responders had higher socio-economic status, especially in relation to maternal education status. CONCLUSION: As a longitudinal birth cohort from rural Germany, the SNiP cohort will be a resource to address urgent research needs and contribute to overall population health.

What Is Rural? Challenges And Implications Of Definitions That Inadequately Encompass Rural People And Places.

Monitoring and improving rural health is challenging because of varied and conflicting concepts of just what rural means. Federal, state, and local agencies and data resources use different definitions, which may lead to confusion and inequity in the distribution of resources depending on the definition used. This article highlights how inconsistent definitions of rural may lead to measurement bias in research, the interpretation of research outcomes, and differential eligibility for rural-focused grants and other funding. We conclude by making specific recommendations on how policy makers and researchers could use these definitions more appropriately, along with definitions we propose, to better serve rural residents. We also describe concepts that may improve the definition of and frame the concept of rurality.

Equitable Health Care and Low-Density Living in the United States.

In 1818, John Sinclair's advice for health and longevity included temporary retirement to the country. Two centuries later, life in rural America means higher death rates throughout the lifespan. Health care delivery in rural areas is limited by a number of hardships associated with low-density living, including a shortage of providers, limited cultural diversity, and geography. There are both profound challenges and deep rewards associated with providing health care services in rural areas. Barring a major change in the health care financing and delivery systems, solutions for bringing a full range of quality health care and preventive services to rural residents include incentivizing a full range of providers to practice in rural areas; exploiting the delivery infrastructure that has developed in response to the explosive growth in e-commerce; taking advantage of cellular, digital, and satellite technologies; and learning about what motivates providers to choose rural practice settings.

The Jamkhed Comprehensive Rural Health Project and the Alma-Ata Vision of Primary Health Care.

The Jamkhed Comprehensive Rural Health Project (Jamkhed CRHP) was established in central India in 1970. The Jamkhed CRHP approach, developed by Rajanikant and Mabelle Arole, was instrumental in influencing the concepts and principles embedded in the 1978 Declaration of Alma-Ata. The Jamkhed CRHP pioneered provision of services close to people's homes, use of health teams (including community workers), community engagement, integration of services, and promotion of equity, all key elements of the declaration. The extraordinary contributions that the Jamkhed CRHP has made as it approaches its 50th anniversary need to be recognized as the world celebrates the 40th anniversary of the International Conference on Primary Health Care and the writing of the declaration. We describe the early influence of the Jamkhed CRHP on the declaration as well as the work at Jamkhed, its notable influence in improving the health of the people it has served and continues to serve, the remarkable contributions it has made to training people from around India and the world, and its remarkable influences on programs and policies in India and beyond.

Subscribers' perception of quality of services provided by Ghana's National Health Insurance Scheme - what are the correlates?

BACKGROUND: Ghana's National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) has witnessed an upsurge in enrollment since its inception in 2003, with over 40% of the Ghanaian population actively enrolled in the scheme. While the scheme strives to achieve universal health coverage, this quest is derailed by negative perceptions of the quality of services rendered to NHIS subscribers. This paper presents an analysis on perceptions of service quality provided to subscribers of Ghana's NHIS with emphasis on rural and urban scheme policy holders, using a nationally representative data. METHODS: The study used data from the 2014 Ghana Demographic and Health Survey. Ordered logistic regressions were estimated to identify the correlates of perceived quality of care of services rendered by the NHIS. Also, chi-square statistics were performed to test for significant differences in the proportions of subscribers in the two subsamples (rural and urban). RESULTS: Rural subscribers of the NHIS were found to identify more with better perception of quality of services provided by the NHIS than urban subscribers. Results from the chi-square statistics further indicated that rural subscribers are significantly different from urban subscribers in terms of the selected socioeconomic and demographic characteristics. In the full sample; age, out-of-pocket payment for healthcare and region of residence proved significant in explaining perceived quality of services rendered by the NHIS. Age, out-of-pocket payment for healthcare, region of residence, wealth status, and access to media were found to be significant predictors of perceived quality of services provided to both rural and urban subscribers of the NHIS. The significance of these variables varied among men and women in rural and urban areas. CONCLUSION: Different factors affect the perception of quality of services provided to rural and urban subscribers of Ghana's NHIS. Health financing policies geared toward improving the NHIS-related services in rural and urban areas should be varied.

Interrogating the Contested Spaces of Rural Aging: Implications for Research, Policy, and Practice.

Informed by a critical turn underway in rural gerontology, this article explores how the intersection of global and local trends relating to population aging and rural change create contested spaces of rural aging. The aim is to build our understanding of rural as a dynamic context within which the processes, outcomes, and experiences of aging are created, confronted, and contested by older adults and their communities. A review of key developments within gerontology and rural studies reveals how competing policies, discourses, and practices relating to healthy aging and aging in place, rural citizenship and governmentality, and social inclusion and inequality combine in particular ways to empower or disempower a diverse range of older rural adults aging in a diverse range of rural communities. The article provides a contextually sensitive perspective on potential sources of conflict and exclusion for older adults in dynamic rural spaces and further enhances our understanding of how rural physical and social environments are constructed and experienced in older age. A framework for interrogating emergent questions about aging in rural contexts is developed and implications for advancing research, policy, and practice are discussed.

Water, sanitation and hygiene infrastructure and quality in rural healthcare facilities in Rwanda.

BACKGROUND: WHO and UNICEF have proposed an action plan to achieve universal water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) coverage in healthcare facilities (HCFs) by 2030. The WASH targets and indicators for HCFs include: an improved water source on the premises accessible to all users, basic sanitation facilities, a hand washing facility with soap and water at all sanitation facilities and patient care areas. To establish viable targets for WASH in HCFs, investigation beyond 'access' is needed to address the state of WASH infrastructure and service provision. Patient and caregiver use of WASH services is largely unaddressed in previous studies despite being critical for infection control. METHODS: The state of WASH services used by staff, patients and caregivers was assessed in 17 rural HCFs in Rwanda. Site selection was non-random and predicated upon piped water and power supply. Direct observation and semi-structured interviews assessed drinking water treatment, presence and condition of sanitation facilities, provision of soap and water, and WASH-related maintenance and record keeping. Samples were collected from water sources and treated drinking water containers and analyzed for total coliforms, E. coli, and chlorine residual. RESULTS: Drinking water treatment was reported at 15 of 17 sites. Three of 18 drinking water samples collected met the WHO guideline for free chlorine residual of >0.2 mg/l, 6 of 16 drinking water samples analyzed for total coliforms met the WHO guideline of <1 coliform/100 mL and 15 of 16 drinking water samples analyzed for E. coli met the WHO guideline of <1 E. coli/100 mL. HCF staff reported treating up to 20 L of drinking water per day. At all sites, 60% of water access points (160 of 267) were observed to be functional, 32% of hand washing locations (46 of 142) had water and soap and 44% of sanitary facilities (48 of 109) were in hygienic condition and accessible to patients. Regular maintenance of WASH infrastructure consisted of cleaning; no HCF had on-site capacity for performing repairs. Quarterly evaluations of HCFs for Rwanda's Performance Based Financing system included WASH indicators. CONCLUSIONS: All HCFs met national policies for water access, but WHO guidelines for environmental standards including water quality were not fully satisfied. Access to WASH services at the HCFs differed between staff and patients and caregivers.

Role of medical resource level in iodine deficiency disorder.

BACKGROUND: Iodine deficiency disorders (IDDs) refer to a series of diseases caused by the human body's insufficient iodine intake. Edible salt became iodized in China in 1996, which yielded remarkable results. We have known that IDDs is associated with iodine in the human body, but it is not clear whether IDDs is related to medical resource level. METHODS: We collected the number of IDDs cases and an index for the level of medical resource from 31 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the central government in China. All data came from the China Statistical Yearbook of Health and Family Planning issued in 2013 by the Peking Union Medical College Publishing House. Data standardization and linear regression analysis were used. RESULTS: The results showed that IDDs correlated with the number of beds in medical and health institutions, number of medical health personnel, number of medical and health institutions, total health expenditure, average health expenditure per capita, medical insurance for urban resident and new rural cooperative medical rural residents (P < 0.01). In a multiple linear regression, IDDs was most significantly associated with the number of beds in hospitals, the number of rural health personnel, the number of basic medical and health institutions and government health expenditure for these institutions. CONCLUSION: Based on the experimental data, we concluded that IDDs had a positive connection with the medical resource level, and basic and rural areas had a more significant association with IDDs. This analysis provides new and explicit ideas for iodine prevention and control work in China.

Making the Case for Investment in Rural Cancer Control: An Analysis of Rural Cancer Incidence, Mortality, and Funding Trends.

Estimates of those living in rural counties vary from 46.2 to 59 million, or 14% to 19% of the U.S. POPULATION: Rural communities face disadvantages compared with urban areas, including higher poverty, lower educational attainment, and lack of access to health services. We aimed to demonstrate rural-urban disparities in cancer and to examine NCI-funded cancer control grants focused on rural populations. Estimates of 5-year cancer incidence and mortality from 2009 to 2013 were generated for counties at each level of the rural-urban continuum and for metropolitan versus nonmetropolitan counties, for all cancers combined and several individual cancer types. We also examined the number and foci of rural cancer control grants funded by NCI from 2011 to 2016. Cancer incidence was 447 cases per 100,000 in metropolitan counties and 460 per 100,000 in nonmetropolitan counties (P < 0.001). Cancer mortality rates were 166 per 100,000 in metropolitan counties and 182 per 100,000 in nonmetropolitan counties (P < 0.001). Higher incidence and mortality in rural areas were observed for cervical, colorectal, kidney, lung, melanoma, and oropharyngeal cancers. There were 48 R- and 3 P-mechanism rural-focused grants funded from 2011 to 2016 (3% of 1,655). Further investment is needed to disentangle the effects of individual-level SES and area-level factors to understand observed effects of rurality on cancer. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 26(7); 992-7. ©2017 AACR.

Satisfaction of village doctors with the township and village health services integration policy in the western minority-inhabited areas of China.

Township and Village Health Services Integration Management (TVHSIM) is an essential form of China's two-tiered health service integration plan at the township and village level. Its main purpose, also one of the target goals in China's new healthcare reform, is to gradually integrate rural health services and appropriately allocate rural health resources. This study aims to assess the village doctors' satisfaction with the TVHSIM and provide scientific base to further improve TVHSIM. A cross-sectional study was carried out in which 162 village doctors from Qinghai, Inner Mongolia and Xinjiang in western China were interviewed. Descriptive analysis, independent t-test, one-way ANOVA, Spearman rank correlation and multiple linear regression were used to analyze the difference and relevance between village doctors' personal characteristics and their satisfaction with TVHSIM and six subscales. Village doctors with different years of practice, social insurance status and essential medical knowledge level showed statistically significant differences in their satisfaction levels (all P<0.05). Age (P<0.05) and years of practice (P<0.01) were negatively correlated with Drug and Medical Device Management and Financing Management. Essential medical knowledge level (P<0.05) was negatively correlated with Operations Management as well. However, social insurance status (P<0.05) was positively correlated with Human Resources Management and Drug and Medical Device management. Gender, age and years of practice respectively had significant influence on village doctors' satisfaction with TVHSIM (P<0.01). In conclusion, in order to further promote TVHSIM policy in rural China, a well-rounded social insurance model for village doctors is urgently needed. In addition, the development of TVHSIM is regionally imbalanced. Efficient and effective measures aiming at rationalizing gender and age structure and enhancing essential medical training should be carefully considered.

Availability of essential medicines in selected public, primary and secondary health care institutions of a rural Sri Lankan district: a spot survey.

BACKGROUND: Assessment of the availability of essential medicines, in rural areas of countries with free state health care system, is scarce. Dependence on essential medicines among the population in rural sector is considered to be high. Assessing the availability of essential medicines in selected state owned primary and secondary health care institutions of a rural district will help to identify areas where improvement is needed. METHODS: A descriptive cross sectional study, covering selected five primary and one secondary care institutions of a rural Sri Lankan district, was conducted. The national list of essential medicines, Sri Lanka was used as the check list and the guidelines of the WHO-Health Action International were adapted. RESULTS: The secondary care institution recorded an overall availability of 71%, whereas the average overall availability of the primary care institutions was 56%. Central dispensaries recorded the lowest availability. Lack of availability of medicines needed for the management of chronic kidney disease, snake bite and poisoning was noted. CONCLUSIONS: Availability of essential medicines in most of the primary and the secondary care institutions were fairly high. Deficiency in medicines needed for the management of emergencies was noted. A need based annual estimate of medicines based on an essential medicine list is suggested.

Addressing Rural Health Challenges Head On.

Providing health care to patients and families living in rural America presents significant challenges, but comes with unique rewards. The physician who chooses a rural life typically cares for an underserved and aging population, which is often less healthy and affluent than its urban and suburban counterparts. At the same time, rural clinicians feel deeply connected to their patients and their communities. Physicians cite strong doctor-patient relationships as a primary motivator to practice in a rural setting, in addition to lower cost of living and slower pace of life1. Those who choose primary care specialties also enjoy the challenge of caring for multiple, interrelated aspects of health for their patients and community. During Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences' (KCU) century-long history, we have offered our osteopathic medical students the opportunity to learn in rural areas during the third and fourth years. As our new, state-of-the-art medical school campus opens in Joplin, Missouri, we will build on our commitment to rural health by offering first- and second-year KCU-Joplin students training opportunities in rural settings, and expanding third- and fourth-year rural clinical rotations. The rich experience to learn rural medicine offers the potential to connect medical students, patients and community in new and exciting ways, building on the firm foundation of osteopathic medical training grounded in strong patient-centered primary care.

Using guidelines to improve neonatal health in China and Vietnam: a qualitative study.

BACKGROUND: Neonatal health (NH) remains a major problem in many countries. Children dying before 28 days often suffer from conditions that are preventable or treatable with proven, cost-effective interventions. The knowledge gaps are no longer about what should be done, but to understand why guidelines including these interventions are not followed. Using a behaviour change framework, this study explores neonatal health guidelines use and the role of management in supporting effective usage in two rural settings in China and Vietnam. METHODS: Semi-structured interviews with policy makers, health care managers and providers (n = 49) and focus group discussions with women, husbands and grandmothers who had experienced maternal and NH care services within the last year (n = 7) were conducted. Data were analysed using the framework approach. RESULTS: Guidelines are not readily available at county, township and village levels in the study sites in China, whereas, in Vietnam, guidelines are available, accepted and being used at facility level. Improvements in implementation could be made in both settings. Factors influencing guidelines use common to both settings included: lack of equipment and supplies; shortage of staff with NH care experience; and guidelines not in line with patient practices. Factors specific to China included: poor guidelines dissemination; and disagreement with guidelines. There was limited community engagement in NH services in China, whereas in Vietnam, community members were actively involved in decision making and provision of services. Managers have an important role in supporting NH guidelines use through: ensuring guidelines are available; allocating appropriate resources; supporting and monitoring staff in their use; and engaging with local communities to promote effective practices. CONCLUSIONS: Engaging managers to support implementation is crucial. Management systems that provide the necessary resources, competent staff, and monitoring, regulatory and incentive frameworks as well as community engagement are needed to promote adoption of guidelines. Further research on how best to strengthen local level management so that they tailor interventions to support guideline use to their specific context is needed. This will ensure that proven interventions to address NH problems are used, and that countries move closer to achieving the new Sustainable Development Goal 3 target.

Centralized or decentralized perinatal surgical care for rural women: a realist review of the evidence on safety.

BACKGROUND: The precipitous closure of rural maternity services in British Columbia (BC), Canada, and internationally has demanded a reevaluation of how to meet the perinatal surgical needs of rural women in accordance with the Triple Aim objectives of safety, cost-effectiveness, and satisfaction of all key stakeholders. There is emerging international evidence that General Practitioners with Enhanced Surgical Skills (GPESS) are a well-positioned health service solution due to their generalist nature in low-volume settings. A realist review was undertaken to evaluate international evidence on efficacious models of perinatal surgical care. This article presents findings of the safety of such practice, one discrete part of the full realist review. METHODS: This paper was derived from a larger review, which used a realist review methodology to guide the approach, and adhered to the RAMESES quality standard for realist reviews. Seven academic databases were searched in December 2013, using year (1990) and language (English) limiters in keeping with a rapid review approach. Mining of bibliographies in addition to consultation with international experts led to further inclusion of academic and grey literature up to March 2014. RESULTS: Two hundred fifty-four articles were originally identified; 119 articles were removed from consideration for lack of fit, resulting in the review of 191 articles from the peer reviewed and grey literature. Of these, 53 pertained to safety and are considered herein. Evidence on the safety of GPESS was consistent in the literature cited. Clinical, case study, and qualitative evidence demonstrates that perinatal surgical care is equally safe when provided by GPESS and specialist physicians. CONCLUSION: Findings allow health planners to confidently build perinatal surgical services around the contribution of GPs with enhanced surgical skills and focus on educational, regulatory, and continuing professional development mechanisms to ensure their sustainability. Volume-to-outcomes associations are variable and inconclusive with regards to safety, suggesting the need for more evidence. These findings, and the attendant health services planning directions, are reassuring as they suggest the viability of local models of care where feasible.

Assessing the disparity in spatial access to hospital care in ethnic minority region in Sichuan Province, China.

BACKGROUND: There is a great disparity in spatial accessibility to hospital care between ethnic minority and non-minority regions in China. Being one of the basic social demands, spatial access to hospital care in minority regions draws increasing attention in China in recent years. We performed this study to have a better understanding of spatial access to hospital care in ethnic minority region in China, and to guide the allocation of government investment in the future. METHODS: Sichuan Province, southwest of China was selected as a sample to examine the difference in hospital access between ethnic minority and non-minority region in China. We applied the shortest path analysis and the enhanced two-step floating catchment area (E2SFCA) method under ArcGIS 9.3 environment. RESULTS: In Sichuan, healthcare access in ethnic minority region is worse than in non-minority region in terms of time to hospital and the value of spatial accessibility. There is relatively greater inequality in access to doctors and health professionals than in access to hospital beds. In ethnic minority region, the balance between primary, secondary, and tertiary hospitals, as well as between public and private hospitals, is less even, compared with the non-minority region. The disparity within ethnic minority region is larger than in non-minority region. CONCLUSIONS: The combination of shortest path analysis and E2SFCA method is superior to the traditional county ratio method in assessing spatial access to healthcare. Compared to the non-minority region, ethnic minority region rely more heavily on government investment to provide healthcare. In ethnic minority region, the current distribution of primary, secondary and tertiary hospitals is inappropriate, and there is an urgent shortage of healthcare personnel. We therefore recommend that the government use preferential policies to encourage more social capital investment in ethnic minority region, use government investment as a supplement to build a more equitable healthcare market, encourage doctors to work in such regions, and push forward road construction in rural area.