On Feb. 25, the National Rural Health Association was invited to the White House to participate in the President’s Precision Medicine Initiative, a new national effort to develop individualized clinical care.
This major project seeks to learn how to better tailor treatments and preventive care to people's genes, environment and lifestyle. The initiative also aims to make it easier for patients to access and share their own health data and to engage them as partners in research.
While it comes with many rural health questions and challenges, the primary goal for rural advocates is to ensure rural America is part of this new era of medicine, and that rural patients are not left behind.
During the meeting, President Obama specifically talked about rural health and the challenges for both patients and providers.
This is the beginning of a new clinical era and a national effort to greatly improve care and treatment.
I’m happy NRHA is included in this important national discussion as it moves forward, and strongly encourage attending our Rural Quality and Clinical Conference July 13-15 in Oakland, Calif.