Happy Harvest

If you live, work, or travel in a rural area of the United States, you’ve probably gotten stuck behind a slow-moving farm implement. They can be seen out and about every spring and fall like clockwork. Can you imagine what the person in the cab looks like? You probably envision faded blue jeans, work boots, and ball cap. Have you ever tried to imagine what their day looks like? Did they start before the sun was up? Are they grandparents or parents? Did their children see them at the dinner table yesterday? Did they crawl out of the tractor late last night and are they trying to finish up today? The list of questions goes on and on.

I often think about the health and wellbeing of the farmers too. I know the first priority for anyone in agriculture is to the ground they tend or the livestock they nurture. The second is to their family and the third their community. Notice I didn’t put the farmer on the list of priorities. It is not in their nature to take care of themselves. That is because a farmer is so dedicated to what their responsibilities are that they never fathom seeing themselves as a priority.

As I see it, being a farmer is one of the most unselfish “jobs” a person can hold. They give more than they take. They consistently are looking to improve their yields so they can reach more people with their harvests. Rarely, if ever, do they ask for help or support from friends or family. In fact, I wish everyone had to be a farmer for a week just so they could fully comprehend what the farmer does. I am truly in awe of the fortitude of farmers.

With that being said, it’s that fortitude that encouraged me to write this blog post. You see I’m from a farm family. I know the hours my grandfather, uncle, and hired hands put in on the farm, especially the busy seasons. I also know that seeing a healthcare provider is nowhere on their list of things to do, not even on a rainy day. They simply don’t have time to clean up, drive to town, wait to see the provider, drive back home, change clothes, and get back after it. Farmers are “now” people. Time is of the essence. In fact, there is no better time than the present. If you have lived on a farm no doubt you’ve heard one of the “time” sentiments before.

I’m optimistic for farmers everywhere that telehealth will become a “go-to” for point of care. The tractors of today are very smart! They allow farmers to see and track things like never before. Many of them are equipped with iPads. The inside of a tractor these days is really more like the inside of a space shuttle. The majority of what the farmer needs to know is at his fingertips, so why shouldn’t his or her healthcare provider be just as accessible? If a primary care provider wants to check in with a farmer it’s really as easy as sending a link to a smart cell phone to set up a virtual conversation. Likewise, if a farmer is feeling overwhelmed by the current agricultural climate and wants to talk with a mental health provider they can! And, there is no place more comfortable and private than in the inside of a tractor cab. A farmer is most apt to feel at ease than in the place where he’s “at home”.

Now is the time to reach out to local farmers and share what technology will allow healthcare providers to deliver via telehealth. Whether it is renewing a prescription, providing nutrition guidance, or discussing behavioral health concerns there is no time better than the present. If you are a provider, a clinical office manager, or a healthcare administrator now is a great time to assess how you are going to create your “Agriculture Delivery Model”. Go to a local tractor dealership and sit in one of the smart tractors to get a better understanding of noise control, privacy, and IT capabilities. You will come away with a much better appreciation for what can truly be accomplished from the cab of a tractor.