I recently read Mr. Matthew Espenshade’s piece, “Make health care accessible to our nation’s growers” (River Reporter, December 4-10), in which he captured the urgency of the health care shortage for rural Pennsylvanians.

With more than 30 hospitals in the commonwealth’s rural communities having either closed or greatly reduced their services in the past two decades, it’s a frustrating reality that quality and availability of care are not equitable across Pennsylvania. 

However, it is encouraging to learn of medical innovations that prioritize meeting the patient where they are. For example, Mr. Espenshade mentioned there is a new blood-based test for primary colorectal cancer, a disease that kills a startling 34 percent of diagnosed Pennsylvanians—with even higher rates among rural Pennsylvanians—despite having some of the best recovery outcomes of any cancer when caught early. 

Though it does not replace traditional screening methods, this test, Shield, is a new option for local doctors to conduct early screening for colorectal cancer. 

In a time where rural Pennsylvanians increasingly rely on primary care physicians, blood test screening options provide a way for patients to maintain access to preventative care without having to travel great distances to see a specialist or take time off work. 

Pennsylvanians deserve quality health care no matter where they live. By bringing preventative measures, like cancer screenings, to rural communities, we can help bridge the rural-urban health care divide and improve health outcomes in our region.

Dale Shupp
Tunkhannock, PA