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Appalachia -- and West Virginia in particular -- has faced one hit after another, not just during the most recent pandemic years, but for generations of economic struggle and socio-cultural woes. Though COVID-19 may have been a tipping point, one of the challenges we face has been festering for years. There simply aren't enough doctors and nurses to take care of our aging and unhealthy population.
U.S. Rep. David McKinley, R-W.Va., is working across the aisle in Washington to try to make a difference on that front, and together with Rep. Susie Lee, D-Nev., has introduced the Physicians for Underserved Areas Act. It is intended to update the Graduate Medical Education slot process following a hospital closure to prioritize federally funded residency slots for areas where doctors are in short supply.
"From cancer to diabetes to substance abuse, West Virginia faces many health challenges," McKinley said. "However, access to care is often hampered by a shortage of physicians and other medical professionals, especially in rural communities. This common sense bill will help address this problem by incentivizing doctors to train and practice in West Virginia and other regions that face similar shortages."
It is one small step toward solving a big problem, and surely members of Congress will agree it is necessary.
Meanwhile, McKinley is to be commended for continuing to work his hardest for West Virginians. In an era of vicious division and worrying too much about which letter follows an elected official's name, bipartisan, common sense chipping away at what truly is holding us back might be just what the doctor ordered.