Indiana has been well-served by the National Health Service Corps, a federal program that provides student loan payments for healthcare professionals who agree to work in underserved communities. From mental-health counseling to treating patients on the front lines of the pandemic, these medical professionals have saved the lives of Hoosiers. They’ve filled gaps in service and stepped up to the plate as medical providers struggle to hire qualified workers.
But funding for the program is set to expire in September. As Congress and President Joe Biden wrestle with funding issues, they must ensure this vital program continues.
It matters in places like Warsaw. CNHI State Reporter Carson Gerber detailed in a recent story how that community and 31 nearby counties have been served by Rob Ryan and the Bowen Center. Had it not been for the National Health Service Corps, Ryan told Gerber, he likely would have chosen another job to help pay off his student loan debt. Instead, Ryan is president and CEO of the Bowen Center, which provides mental-health services and primary care to clients. In Clark County, Dr. Eric Yazel is another example of the program’s success. During the darkest days of the pandemic, Yazel was a bright light, reassuring the public as the county’s health officer while spending endless hours at Clark Memorial hospital treating patients.
Yazel told Gerber that without the National Health Service Corps, he would likely have been forced into working in another state at a higherpaying job. His heart is with the underserved, but college debt would have made his goal of treating patients in such communities impossible without the federal help, Yazel said.
These are just two examples of how the program has helped Hoosiers. Hospitals and other medical providers are having trouble hiring professionals, especially in rural and underserved areas. State lawmakers have addressed the issue by allowing for more nursing graduates, but staffing issues persist. The National Health Service Corps is making a real difference in Indiana, and eliminating or reducing funding for the program would be a mistake.
If anything, federal officials should be looking at how they can expand the National Health Service Corps. Our Congressional delegation should be leading that effort.
According to a February Indianapolis Star story, 30 of Indiana’s 92 counties have been designated as “physician shortage areas” by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Our state needs doctors and other medical professionals. Covering college debt is a small price to pay to attract healthcare workers.
© 2024 Community Newspaper Holdings, Inc.