Richmond County Profile
Targeted evidence for equitable care access
The Current Landscape
Healthcare access in Richmond County is shaped by its location in the Sandhills region of North Carolina and its history as a vital textile and railroad hub. While the county is anchored by FirstHealth Moore Regional Hospital - Richmond in Rockingham, residents in rural pockets and outlying communities frequently face economic and transportation barriers to accessing specialized or advanced care. This spatial disparity, compounded by regional primary care shortages, creates hurdles for those lacking reliable transportation.
To drive policy change, we evaluate Richmond County's data through three action areas: protecting rural infrastructure, empowering diverse professionals, and addressing non-medical social drivers.
Primary Care HPSA Score
A Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA) score measures the severity of a primary care provider shortage in a community on a scale from 0 to 25. A higher score reflects a greater need. Richmond County's score of 18 indicates a severe, pressing shortage of primary care professionals, establishing it as a priority zone for state healthcare workforce expansion and retention incentives.
Protecting our regional health infrastructure
With localized hospital capacity focused on specific service lines, expanding the reach of safety-net clinics, telehealth access, and robust EMS services is critical to minimizing preventable emergencies and reducing the travel burden on rural residents.
Empowering diverse care professionals
Richmond County faces a significant shortage of primary care physicians relative to its population size. Maximizing the scope of practice for nurse practitioners, physician assistants, and local pharmacists is vital to bridging this gap.
Addressing social drivers to access
The reality of seeking care is influenced by external, non-medical factors. Broadband limitations, expansive geographic barriers, and out-of-pocket costs dictate how effectively residents connect with the health system.
Deep Dive: Local Drivers
Clinical care availability is only one piece of the puzzle. In Richmond County, specific local determinants heavily influence a resident's ability to seek, afford, and receive timely healthcare.
Relying on Rockingham and Pinehurst Hubs
With most advanced specialty and trauma care consolidated in Rockingham or neighboring hubs like Pinehurst, residents across Richmond County's geography face notable transit hurdles. Missing a ride often means missing preventative care altogether, shifting routine issues into emergency crises.