Addressing Rural Health Issues through Policy Storytelling

Police officers, teachers, and social (vocational) workers (SLBs) interact the most with citizens and can implement policy. The citizens being mentioned end up being our patients in these rural areas. We need to learn about who the patients and citizens are through a medical front-line lens the same way SLBs do. Interviews, focus groups, observations and other qualitative methods will help surgical administrative professionals who want to address the access to care issue in underserved and rural areas. In return, this can help retain staff and prevent staff burnout by addressing the problems of potential patients before they occur.