Building lasting partnerships between governments and businesses is a key component of the framework that does, and will continue to, close gaps in healthcare service for residents in rural Maryland.
At the 2026 MACo Summer Conference session, “Building the Future of Rural Health in Maryland,” five panelists discussed the unique challenges and solutions for providing healthcare services to residents in rural Maryland including the Eastern Shore and parts of Southern and Western Maryland.
The participants came from both private and public entities providing services to rural communities. The public entities included officials from both local health departments and the Maryland Department of Health:
- Jennifer Hare, Health Officer, Garrett County
- Brice Strang, Health Officer, Queen Anne’s County
- Sara Seitz, Director, State Office of Rural Health, Maryland Department of Health
This set of presenters really drove home a couple of major points that are the backbone of government agencies providing services in rural areas, one of which was the importance of access to both federal and state grant funds to enhance the types of services and more importantly the accessibility to residents. Additionally, local health officers highlighted the need to go out and be in the community to assess the degree of need. With more information readily available local health departments can help vulnerable residents get ahead of problems before they start.
Private entities participating included the below representatives from TidalHealth and Cornerstone Family Medicine.
- Evan Savopoulos, Practice Manager, Cornerstone Family Medicine
- Katherine Rodgers, Director, Community Health Initiatives, TidalHealth
Their remarks centered on the importance of public-private partnerships in reaching vulnerable community members. These collaborations between state, local, and private providers help extend both sets of resources to reach more people in the community. Additionally, innovative strategies like bringing services to residents rather than relying on their ability to transport themselves to facilities is increasing access. Mobile units are a way of doing this, now bringing life saving services to the doorway of resident homes.
More about MACo’s Summer Conference:
