Access to rural healthcare is bigger than hospitals – and North Carolina is leading the way

By: Julianne Malveaux

Outlets: North Carolina Newsline

Published: October 13, 2026

Words: 774

Last Updated: 5 days, 3 hours ago

A lot of people hear the phrase “rural health” and automatically think about hospitals.

They think about how North Carolina facilities are struggling to keep their doors open or about maternity wards shutting down. Widespread shortages of physicians and nurses, or the long drives to see a specialist, probably come to mind too.

Those are all valid concerns. Rural hospitals are essential to their communities and are struggling. North Carolina …

Create a free account to access this story and more

Join Plucky Wire to access full stories, collaborate with newsrooms, and discover content from networks around the world.