Anthem scholarship supports nursing students, increases access to care in rural Ohio

A new scholarship for UC College of Nursing graduate students aims at improving health care access and advancing health equity in rural Ohio communities by increasing much-needed primary care access in such areas. The Anthem Rural Medicine Scholarships provide the college with $75,000 to support advanced practice nursing students in specified specialties who complete clinicals in designated rural or underserved counties in Ohio.

Research published in the past year in the Journal of the American Medical Association shows more people in rural America die from chronic health conditions and substance abuse than in suburbs and cities, and the difference in those death rates has tripled in the past 20 years. The gap is attributed to poor access to care and foundering economies, among other social determinants of health. The pandemic has also exacerbated inequities in quality of care between urban and rural areas — from access issues to lower COVID-19 vaccination rates among rural seniors compared to those in urban areas.

Nurse practitioners represent a valuable resource in improving access to high-quality care in these areas. More than 85% are trained in primary care and account for 25% of health care providers in rural practices. In addition, nurse practitioners are more likely than physicians to settle in rural areas and to care for vulnerable populations, including the poor and uninsured and those living in rural areas, according to the American Association of Nurse Practitioners.

“Nurses play a key role in improving health care outcomes by providing accessible, safe care for all. We are thankful for the opportunity to partner with Anthem in addressing health inequities through a multifaceted approach, which supports our commitment to embracing diversity in its fullest sense through innovative practices and strategic partnerships in the surrounding community,” says Denise Gormley, PhD, RN, FNAP, who served as the college’s interim dean and recently retired.

Featured image at top: Krista Maddox, Senior Assistant Dean for Student Affairs; Angela Abenaim, Ohio Medicaid Health Equity Director for Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield; Denise Gormley, Retired Interim Dean; and Christine Colella, Retired Interim Associate Dean and Director of Graduate Programs.