Gazewood John D, Rollins Lisa K, Galazka Sim S
Department of Family Medicine, University of Virginia Health System, Charlottesville, Virginia 22908, USA.
Acad Med. 2006 Sep;81(9):793-7. doi: 10.1097/01.ACM.0000233009.96164.83.
Academic health centers (AHCs) face increasing pressures from federal, state, and community stakeholders to fulfill their social missions to the communities they serve. Yet, in the 21st century, rural communities in the United States face an array of health care problems, including a shortage of physicians, health problems that disproportionately affect rural populations, a need to improve quality of care, and health disparities related to disproportionate levels of poverty and shifting demographics. AHCs have a key role to play in addressing these issues. AHCs can increase physician supply by targeting their admissions policies and educational programs. Specific health concerns of rural populations can be further addressed through increased use of telemedicine consultations. By partnering with providers in rural areas and through the use of innovative technologies, AHCs can help rural providers increase the quality of care. Partnerships with rural communities provide opportunities for participatory research to address health disparities. In addition, collaboration between AHCs, regional planning agencies, and rural communities can lead to mutually beneficial outcomes. At a time when many AHCs are operating in an environment with dwindling resources, it is even more critical for AHCs to build creative partnerships to help meet the needs of their regional communities.
学术医疗中心（AHCs）面临着来自联邦、州和社区利益相关者的越来越大的压力，要求它们履行对所服务社区的社会使命。然而，在21世纪，美国农村社区面临一系列医疗保健问题，包括医生短缺、对农村人口影响尤甚的健康问题、提高医疗质量的需求，以及与贫困程度不成比例和人口结构变化相关的健康差距。AHCs在解决这些问题方面可发挥关键作用。AHCs可以通过调整招生政策和教育项目来增加医生供应。通过增加远程医疗咨询的使用，可以进一步解决农村人口的特定健康问题。通过与农村地区的医疗服务提供者合作并利用创新技术，AHCs可以帮助农村医疗服务提供者提高医疗质量。与农村社区的合作关系为开展参与性研究以解决健康差距提供了机会。此外，AHCs、区域规划机构和农村社区之间的合作可以带来互利的成果。在许多AHCs都在资源日益减少的环境中运营的当下，AHCs建立创新合作关系以帮助满足其所在地区社区的需求就显得更为关键。
