This week on Rural Health Leadership Radio, we’re talking about rural health centers and their workforces. We’re having that conversation with Darcy Shargo, CEO of Maine Primary Care Association (MPCA).

“I think we’re in a time in the evolution of healthcare delivery and certainly in the rural context that we can’t really stand still anymore and that we’ve got to move.”

~Darcy Shargo

Darcy grew up in rural northern Minnesota in a small farming community. Her personal experiences drove her to work that invests in understanding and alleviating some of the social risk factors that are barriers to better health. Darcy feels that rural areas have the opportunity to test change and commandeer their future.

“Having a focus on healthcare particularly through a rural lens is important because we have the opportunity to scale up changes and try new things.”

~Darcy Shargo

Darcy is the CEO of MPCA, a membership organization for the state’s federally qualified health centers (FQHC). These delivery sites exist across both rural and urban centers in Maine and constitute the state’s largest primary care network. The community health centers serve people from all walks of life, regardless of their ability to pay, acting as a true safety net.