Governor Greg Abbott proclaimed Thursday Rural Health Day honoring rural Texas as a place where people know each other, respect each other and work together to benefit the community, and citing the necessity of increased access to health care and health care providers for rural areas in the state. The proclamation points out that “Rural communities also have unique health care needs that are constantly evolving, including accessibility issues, a lack of health care providers and an aging population suffering from a greater number of chronic conditions. Ambulatory and emergency medical services are especially critical in rural areas, where 20 percent of the nations poulation lives but nearly 60 percent of all trauma deaths occur. In addition to being sources of invaluable services for rural residents, rual hsopitals are also often the economic foundations of their communities.”
The Governor encouraged all Texas to educate themselves on the issues facing rural health care providers, stakeholders, and agencies. 
