Rural Healthcare in Upper Peninsula: Yes, We Have Internet and Healthcare!

You’d be surprised how often I get asked if the Upper Peninsula (U.P.) has internet. Yes, we have internet, just like we have healthcare. And while we might not have the same abundance of healthcare options as large cities, the community is resilient, and the providers are dedicated to making the best of what we have. Since I’m most familiar with Escanaba, I’ll be focusing on the healthcare scene here, though many of the issues are common across rural areas in the U.P.

In Escanaba, we have OSF St. Francis Hospital, which offers a variety of services, from emergency care to oncology. However, when it comes to more serious trauma cases, we often have to transfer patients to larger cities like Marquette or Green Bay, Wisconsin. This lack of specialized trauma care is a challenge faced by many rural areas, where smaller hospitals are unable to provide the advanced services larger hospitals can.

One common issue we see in our local hospitals is the overuse of antibiotics like vancomycin and cefepime. These broad-spectrum antibiotics are often prescribed when the specific bacteria causing an infection hasn’t been identified yet. In rural areas like Escanaba, we don’t always have the resources for quick lab results, so doctors often choose these antibiotics as a precaution. While this is necessary in many cases, it also raises concerns about antibiotic resistance and the overprescribing of medication.

Escanaba is home to four community pharmacies including one independent and three retail chains. These pharmacies play a vital role in our community, providing not only medications but also counseling for residents who may not have immediate access to healthcare providers. However, for specialty care, many U.P. residents have to travel to larger cities, which can be a major barrier, especially for those without reliable transportation.

One very recent, significant concern in the U.P. is the closure of the Planned Parenthood clinic in Marquette, which has been the only one in the region. This clinic provides essential reproductive health services, including cancer screenings and birth control access, and its closure will create a significant gap in healthcare for many people in the area. The nearest remaining Planned Parenthood location is in Green Bay, Wisconsin, over a two-hour drive away, making it even more difficult for U.P. residents to access these critical services.

These are just some examples of rural healthcare in the U.P.. The list could go on. Despite these challenges, the healthcare system in Escanaba is doing the best it can with the resources available. But to truly combat these issues, the U.P. needs to focus on expanding telemedicine, improving transportation access to specialty care, and advocating for more localized services to reduce the need for long-distance travel. Additionally, increasing funding for local health clinics and expanding resources for identifying infections more quickly would help ease the burden on doctors and pharmacists who are doing their best with limited resources. By focusing on these solutions, healthcare in the U.P. can continue to improve for everyone in the region.