Washington, D.C. — A diverse set of health care professionals and experts convened on the Morgantown Campus of West Virginia University Monday to discuss the state of healthcare in rural areas. The panel discussion, which drew a crowd of nearly 100, was hosted by Rep. David B. McKinley and WVU President E. Gordon Gee.

“Like people in rural areas across the country, West Virginians face many challenges in accessing quality and affordable health care,” said Rep. McKinley. “Rural areas account for 25% of the population but only 10% of the doctors. The discussion today focused on ways to overcome that and expand access.”

“We are blessed to have a world class research institution like WVU in our back yard,” said McKinley. “Experts and health care providers from WVU and other institutions around the state will be at the forefront in finding a solution.”

The panelists represented a wide variety of perspectives on health care and included doctors, nurses, researchers, leaders of public health organizations, and hospitals.

“In West Virginia we have an older population with significant health care needs,” added Rep. McKinley. “It’s vital that we all coordinate and work together to bring the latest technology to bear to make life better for West Virginians.”

This summit was the latest in a series of panel discussions organized by Rep. McKinley on energy, economic development, and climate change, among other issues.