This is a recap of a panel discussion from the 2024 ASU+GSV Summit featuring WGU's Keith L. Smith, senior vice president for the Michael O. Leavitt School of Health. Watch the full video below.

The Rio Grande Valley (RGV) in Texas is a vibrant region that faces significant challenges that mirror rural America. With a striking 24.7% of families living below the poverty level—nearly triple the national average—residents in the RGV contend with an array of health issues such as diabetes, obesity, and cervical cancer. These health disparities have been further magnified by the COVID-19 pandemic, exposing and deepening existing inequities. As experts from the health and higher education industries and local leaders gather to address these challenges, the focus is on creating a more inclusive and equitable healthcare landscape in the RGV that can serve as a model for other rural areas across the United States.

Healthcare and Access Challenges

The RGV Health Connect Organization highlights the health conditions of RGV, where access to affordable healthcare remains a significant barrier. Located at the southernmost point of Texas, this diverse region is home to about 1.4 million people, nearly 90% of whom are Hispanic.

“This region presents an amazing opportunity at the intersection of healthcare, education, and workforce development,” said Edwin Estevez, co-founder and principal at AltaCair. “The area faces dramatic health conditions, with a large population suffering from diabetes, making it the diabetes capital of the world. Coupled with significant poverty levels, these challenges lead to a unique opportunity for innovation and progress”

The pandemic intensified these problems, highlighting the urgent need for systemic change. Beyond chronic diseases, the region also faces a critical shortage of healthcare professionals. The Texas Department of State Health Services projects that by 2032, RGV will have the state's highest unmet demand for nurses at 27.2%, resulting in a deficit of 6,274 full-time nursing positions. Additionally, by 2030, the region will experience a shortage of 722 primary care full-time equivalents.

“The state [of Texas] solution, or at least assistance, must involve significant investment from the healthcare system and universities in the community,” said Dr. Jose Pena, chief media director at Kaizen Clinical Partners and chairman of the board at RGV Accountable Care Organization Health Providers. “To break the poverty line, we need substantial scholarships and affordable education through grants, foundations, or any available funding. There must also be a policy change regarding the cost of private education in the country. The investment in education from various sources is crucial to elevate the community out of poverty for the next generation.”

Embracing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI)

In addition to addressing workforce gaps, DEI principles are crucial in creating a healthcare system that is fair and effective in meeting the needs of a diverse population. “Recognizing the significant language barrier in RGV is crucial. Diversity poses a challenge that universities must address by providing education in different languages to meet the population's needs. Real-world training throughout the career path is essential, as students need practical experience alongside their academic education. By offering this experience, we aim to encourage graduates to stay and serve the local community, fulfilling the pressing need for a diverse, cross-trained, and competent workforce,” said Dr. Cynthia Gutierrez, director of public health for Pharr Public Health Department. “Along with this, the municipalities in RGV must take steps to improve and expand their public health infrastructure and provide health services to residents. Such proactive steps will help safeguard our region and prepare us adequately in case we encounter a pandemic-like situation again.”

Thought leaders from RGV and WGU believe that health systems can improve patient outcomes, foster innovation, and build trust within the community by accepting and embracing the core values of DEI. In the context of RGV, this means developing culturally competent care models that respect and respond to the unique needs of its predominantly Hispanic population.

Investing in Education and Training

Establishing programs that encourage and support students from RGV to pursue careers in healthcare can produce a skilled workforce representative of the community it serves.

“Providing flexibility and support for students to complete their degrees is vital. WGU has an advantage with competency-based education, which makes sense for our community,” said Estevez. “Expanding these opportunities is critical; there's great potential for collaboration and finding unique niches to serve the community's needs.” 

Expanding access to high-quality, affordable learning to advance health equity by adding competent professionals to the workforce is a pivotal goal for WGU’s Michael O. Leavitt School of Health (LSH). With strategic community-based partnerships, the school aims to work on sustainable solutions that foster better conditions for patients and their families.

Collaborative Efforts and Policy Advocacy

Partnerships among local health organizations, educational institutions, and government agencies can drive comprehensive strategies to address the region's health and workforce needs. Collaborative efforts can lead to shared resources, improved health education, and community-based initiatives that promote healthy lifestyles.

Advocacy for improved patient policies that support rural health equity is the motto of strategic community alliances. This includes pushing for increased funding for rural healthcare infrastructure, better reimbursement rates for healthcare providers, and programs that incentivize healthcare professionals to work in underserved areas.

“Recently, I had a fantastic conversation with one of our students who’s about to graduate from our Bachelor of Science in Nursing (Prelicensure) degree program,” said Keith Smith, senior vice president for LSH. “She is a young mother of two, with a husband in the military and a father who had a massive heart attack.

“What stood out was her flexibility to live and navigate her circumstances so efficiently, work full-time, and progress through her program despite the challenges. She’s going to graduate soon and is aiming to obtain her registered nurse license soon after; that license is so important to her,” Smith continued. “And just like her, high-quality and affordable health and nursing education is important to so many aspirants out there. These strategic partnerships highlight a challenge for the universities and our healthcare systems: we can't expect these students to come to us. We need to find ways to reach out to them with workable, viable solutions that enable them to pursue education along with everyday challenges.”

With consistent efforts via community-based partnerships and research-oriented sessions, the health professionals in RGV and experts at WGU’s LSH aim to drive a comprehensive overhaul of the healthcare and workforce structure in the region with scalable solutions to replicate high-quality healthcare across the country. To advance this goal, WGU hosted a health equity conference in RGV last year, Accelerator2023, and is consistently working hard to organize more such conferences in the near future.