At Presbyterian Española Hospital, our goal is to understand and meet the healthcare needs of our community.
When patients have an alcohol or substance use disorder, for example, we are helping them get their lives back by reducing stigma and enhancing treatment options. We have led the state in innovative approaches, like starting medication-assisted treatment while patients are in the Emergency Department, and continuing treatment at our outpatient opioid use disorder clinic.
In addition to this important work, we provide primary and specialty care in our clinics and inpatient and emergency care in our hospital, as well as a diabetes resource center and outpatient infusion therapy clinic, so patients can get the care they need without having to leave their home community.
These are the kinds of investments that we make to ensure we have the right services available close to home.
Adding services for our patients is important work that we do as part of our commitment to this community.
But investing in more services comes with major challenges.
One of our biggest challenges is that New Mexico has the highest Medicaid enrollment in the United States and the lowest reimbursement rate.
This means that Medicaid does not cover the cost of care for the care we provide to our patients, which puts a serious strain on Presbyterian Española Hospital.
Fortunately, there is a program that can help solve this crisis. That is why we are supporting the New Mexico Healthcare Delivery and Access Act, which will bring in significantly more federal funding for healthcare services to our state.
For us, more federal funding would help Presbyterian Española Hospital add services to directly benefit our community, such as:
• Meet the needs of our rural community through expanded MRI services, addiction medicine, and uncompensated care.
• Recruit additional providers to improve access to care.
• Invest in infrastructure needs such as roof repair.
During this legislative session, we ask for our community’s support of the New Mexico Healthcare Delivery and Access Act, which will help New Mexico get more federal funding to meet local healthcare needs.