ITHACA, NY (607NewsNow) — People in rural areas often face higher rates of chronic illnesses, like high blood pressure, obesity, diabetes, and other ailments, that require regular monitoring and treatment. The need for frequent medical care can be a challenge for those outside of larger communities. In the event of a medical emergency, small hospitals are a lifeline when long-distance travel isn’t an option.

“You can’t overstate how important it is to have these facilities for emergency care. A lot of emergency patients need to be seen within an hour. In these communities, there’s no other hospital, and it’s a long transport time to another hospital if these hospitals were not there. It’s extremely important to have quick access to these facilities,” says Dr. James Bohan, Director of the Emergency Department at Arnot Ogden Medical Center and Ira Davenport Memorial Hospital at Arnot Health, a Member of Centralus Health.

Rural Emergency Hospitals (REHs), like Ira Davenport Memorial Hospital, offer specialized, 24-hour emergency services. Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs), like Schuyler Hospital, provide round-the-clock critical care. The REH and CAH designations are designed to stabilize medical access to communities that would otherwise be isolated from healthcare services.

“The biggest difference between a rural emergency hospital and a critical access hospital is the rural designation doesn’t allow for inpatient care, whereas a critical access hospital can offer some inpatient care,” says Dr. Bohan.

CAHs and REHs are required to have trained medical staff on site at all hours.

“It’s a multidisciplinary team. We have emergency physicians, advanced practitioners, nurses, radiology, ultrasound, x-ray technicians, laboratory, pharmacy, and many others as well.”

By bridging vast geographic distances between the person in need of treatment and a healthcare facility, hospitals like Ira Davenport Memorial Hospital and Schuyler Hospital help beat the clock during time-sensitive emergencies.

“A lot of the time, the window for treatment is very critical, especially with heart attacks, strokes, and any kind of trauma.”

Whether you’re facing a high-risk injury, need care during inclement weather, or want to ensure your elderly loved ones will have somewhere to turn in the event of an emergency, Dr. Bohan says REHs and CAHs are the primary frontline for safe, local care.

“It’s important to know that these services are available. We need to keep hospitals open in rural communities to be able to take care of those communities.”

Rural hospitals provide immediate emergency care, close-to-home treatment for chronic illnesses, and local support in isolated areas where the next closest facility is miles away.

Arnot Health offers 24-hour emergency care at 600 Roe Avenue, Elmira and 7571 State Route 54, Bath. Cayuga Health offers round-the-clock emergency care at 101 Dates Drive, Ithaca and 220 Steuben Street, Montour Falls, Elmira. She specializes in geriatrics and stroke care. Call (607) 737 – 7804 for more information.