North Dakota has second-highest number of residents that live in health-care deserts

CHI St. Alexius hospital in Devils Lake.

FARGO (KFGO) —A recent study shows 200,000 North Dakota residents have to travel more than 19 miles to get to the nearest healthcare facility. That’s the second-highest rate in the nation.

Over 80% of U.S. counties lack adequate access to healthcare, according to a recent study from Nursa, a healthcare company.

North Dakota Health and Human Services says the state’s rural health system is under growing strain due to workforce shortages, financially fragile facilities, and widening outcome gaps for tribal and frontier communities.

The Trump administration awarded the state nearly $200 million through the Rural Health Transformation Program. The state plans to use the funding to rebuild and retain a rural health workforce, restore health and reduce costs, bring care closer to home, and gain efficiency with modern technology and data.