Shaping the Future of Health Care in New Mexico

By Senator Pete Campos and Christian Bowers, MD

Health care in New Mexico ranks near the bottom in the country for nearly all of the key health care metrics used to judge states and populations, such as mortality rates, affordability of and access to health care, avoidable deaths, infant mortality, women's mortality and life expectancy.

New Mexico's overall health care ranking is 43rd out of the states, and this is an ongoing issue that needs improvement. It is necessary to expand New Mexico's statewide health care programs, prepare more health care professionals, increase funding, upgrade equipment and improve telehealth and facilities. These changes would encourage and provide an incentive for doctors, nurses and specialists to stay in New Mexico and improve the state's medical system. Additionally, these expansions would provide more financial support and attract health care providers to New Mexico and hopefully allow the state to retain the providers trained in New Mexico.

While many communities have limited access to health care, others have none, which creates an issue that requires continuous efforts to improve. Many people in New Mexico do not have equal or timely access to health care facilities and need to travel long distances to access care, causing them to spend excessive amounts of time traveling, even crossing state lines, to seek care. Shaping the future of health care is essential for New Mexicans to be able to receive the health care services that they may need right when they need them. To do so, it is crucial to better coordinate and strengthen the state's health care network and patient outreach. Setting the goals of shortening the time it takes to schedule appointments with primary care physicians and making it easier to find a primary care physician and obtain timely referrals to specialists in larger health care systems should also be considered. 

Nearly all counties in New Mexico are facing health care professional shortages. Nursing shortages in New Mexico, for example, can be considered significant when compared with national trends. Health care professional shortages across the health care system may result in New Mexicans not being able to receive proper care. In Las Vegas, efforts have been made to improve the nursing shortage that the Alta Vista Regional Hospital is experiencing. These efforts include providing a place for the local nursing students from New Mexico Highlands University and Luna Community College to receive training while the hospital staff seek out potential future nurses. Generally, New Mexico can expand more residency programs in all parts of the state to prepare future providers as well as add and enhance the quality of life opportunities for families of health care professionals to keep them in New Mexico communities, regardless of size.

Complex community needs in New Mexico come with additional challenges because of the need to expand clinical education and clinical research. In addition, culturally competent care is required for the diverse population that exists within New Mexico. Taking care of the aging and youth populations is an important aspect to consider when shaping the future of health care. Mental and physical health is also important for all patients, as there has been a growing need for mental and behavioral health care within communities.

Communication is a key aspect in shaping the future of health care in New Mexico. Medical and legal teams must work together with the public in order for health care improvement to happen. This is going to take consistent and continuous efforts from all sides of the political spectrum, given that improving and shaping the future of health care is not an easy fix.

As technology is set to continue advancing, it is important that the state continues to use validated, evidence-based technology within the health care system. Technological advances regarding health care, such as telehealth, can grant more New Mexicans access to the health care services that they need.

All areas of the state have unique offerings to attract and retain health care professionals. When we work together, solve health issues affecting us and build a strong system of care, it benefits New Mexico's families and economy.

Senator Campos, a Democrat from Las Vegas holds a doctorate in educational leadership and a masters’ in guidance and counseling, has been a member of the Senate since 1991 and a member of the Senate Finance Committee since 1997. Campos is also a member of the Legislative Finance, Revenue Stabilization and Tax Policy and Water and Natural Resources committees. He has served as the senator from District 8 in northern New Mexico since 1991 and has served as president of Luna Community College, superintendent of the Las Vegas City Schools, and mayor of Santa Rosa.

Dr. Christian Bowers, MD, is a world-renowned neurosurgeon and clinical researcher, and is the world's expert on how frailty impacts neurosurgical outcomes. Bowers is in the top 5% of most-cited medical researchers and his Frailty lab and team published more than 125 papers in the last 3 years. Bowers has won multiple national awards for his research contributions and given dozens of presentations on frailty for audiences all over the world. Bowers has held key leadership roles, including Program Director and Vice Chair of clinical affairs at the University of New Mexico, where he successfully regained accreditation for the neurosurgery residency program in record time. Bowers is currently the Director of neurosurgical oncology at Hurley Medical Center in Flint, Michigan and has 25+ medical students in his lab that meet every Monday evening to continue advancing clinical research with frailty and other critically important areas. Bowers has multiple patents & businesses associated with AI and computer vision utilization for frailty & neurological assessment and for research integrity and productivity.