Rural Health
Member Center:
A two-year study conducted by University of Nebraska Medical Center says some rural areas of the state are suffering a dire shortage of medical help.
The study says that 15 of Nebraska's 38 most rural counties have almost no health care providers- and Banner County is one of them.
In addition to the lack of concentration of doctors, nurses, and dentists in these rural counties, many health-care professionals are pushing retirement just as more people are requiring medical care.
In Banner County, most residents have to travel to bigger cities such as Scottsbluff or Cheyenne to have a checkup with their dentist or doctor.
"We have to go 50 miles to cheyenne wyoming for a doctors appointment, it's a long ways," says Banner County resident Phyllis Lundberg.
Lori Hostetler shares the same sentiment, "It affects in a way that if i'm working, it requires more time off because your figuring at least an hour in travel time to get there, there isn't anything here."
Banner County does have an EMT within in the county, but there are no doctors offices or dentists nearby.
