In Southern New Mexico, a public clinic offers a model for rural care

Hospitals in New York improve healthcare quality and reduce medical costs by staying in frequent contact with patients requiring frequent or long-term care. Montefiore's Accountable Care Organization pulls in care providers from across the medical and social spectrum to improve patient health while curbing expenses.

Health insurance sign-ups made available to all inmates at the San Francisco county jail, partnered with guidance from a clinic once they are on the outside, allows them to receive better care upon release, and may help prevent a return to crime and substance abuse.

Switzerland is home to the world's lowest avoidable mortality rate and residents of the country live longer lives and are healthier than those who live in the United States. Health policy experts credit the Swiss health care system for playing a significant role. Despite the high cost and the penalty for not carrying insurance, the system is praised as guarateeing access to quality health-care and "unlike the U.S., people rarely go bankrupt from medical bills."

Maryland's health care system is based on three pillars – all-payer rate setting, a global budget, and total cost of care – that, together, have shown positive results both for the patients and for the state's hospitals. Although evidence of success with regard to health care costs is limited, the model of incentiving investment in community health and preventive care has shown success in reducing readmission rates for hospitals across the state.

Health care in the Netherlands relies heavily on the collaboration, cooperation, and shared responsibility between private markets and government regulations to achieve affordable, consistent, and quality care for patients. Although the system is not without its limitations, this process has helped the country avoid preventable deaths while also guaranting nearly all residents insurance.

The St. Mary’s Legacy Clinic is a mobile health clinic bringing care to uninsured, rural residents in Tennessee. The initiative has reached nearly 250 people since it started, providing care to six different towns once per month. With the costs of health care without insurance being enough to turn people away from seeking it, this clinic provides medical evaluations, medicine, and lab work – all with the hope of rebuilding trust between communities and the healthcare system.

In order to battle the government healthcare gaps, the time lost from workers leaving to seek medical attention, and the closing of hospitals, some rural companies have opened their own clinics nearby. This way workers can get medical attention quickly and efficiently, and keep physicians nearby even if hospitals close.

For decades, Franklin County's comprehensive healthcare plan has kept its residents some of the healthiest people in Maine despite being some of the poorest as well. Now, Oregon is looking to do the same.

Rwanda is a poor, rural country with a troubled history. Yet the country has built an effective national health system by tackling the diseases of poverty, such as diarrhea and pneumonia, with smart use of international aid and local health workers.

New Mexico’s veterans are getting faster care as new programs expand to rural areas. Thanks to a host of initiatives, including telemedicine, contracts with community clinics, and travel benefits, the state’s VA health care system has recently seen improvements in appointment wait times for veterans.