Earlier this month, the California Association of Nurse Anesthesiology (CANA) brought together legislators, health care experts, policymakers, and rural health stakeholders to examine one of California’s most pressing health system challenges: access to care in rural California.

“Rural health care has never been simple, but rural health care has always been resilient. These communities deserve the same access to safe, high-quality health care as any other part of California,” said Kristen Roman, DNAP, CRNA, President, CANA. “The Rural Health Care Symposium underscored the urgent need for sustainable workforce solutions to better support rural facilities and the Californians who rely on them. As essential pieces to the puzzle, Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs) maintain access to anesthesia and surgical services in many of these underserved regions.”

The all-day event, hosted Jan. 21 during National CRNA Week (January 18-24) featured expert panels and briefings on the state of rural health care, federal and state policy developments, and the realities of providing obstetric, reproductive, and anesthesia care in rural communities.

“Those in metro areas worry about hospitals accepting their insurance — those in rural communities worry about just getting to a hospital,” said Assembly Minority Leader Heath Flora (R-Ripon), who authored CANA’s 2025 sponsored bill AB 876. “It is vital for us lawmakers to work together, on both sides of the aisle, to protect patients from unnecessary disruptions in care.”

Through education, open dialogue, and cross-sector collaboration, the 2026 California Rural Health Care Symposium reinforced the critical role of policy alignment, workforce sustainability, and innovative care models in strengthening rural health systems.

“We’ve seen time and time again that when the hospital dies, the city dies. Considering 35 percent of U.S. community hospitals are rural, rely heavily on Medicare and Medicaid reimbursements, and are closing rapidly – with many on the brink of financial collapse – we’re inching closer to more cities dying,” said Tracy Paul Young, MSNA, MBA, CRNA, President-Elect, American Association of Nurse Anesthesiology (AANA). “California is a canary in the coal mine for the United States, how the State faces these budget challenges and funding will set the stage for the rest of the country, which his why it’s critical California continues investing in education for nursing and working toward the stabilization of reimbursement rates for providers in rural regions.”

Throughout the day, speakers addressed the complex challenges facing rural hospitals and clinics — along with collaborative, policy-driven solutions to ensure patients can receive safe, timely, high-quality care close to home.

The event also explored how team-based care models and workforce flexibility help maintain access to essential services.

“We cannot afford for more rural hospitals to close,” said Mark Farouk, Vice President, State Advocacy, California Hospital Association. “When one hospital closes that trickles to other rural areas and then on to suburban areas and then into urban areas as patients scramble to find care — impacting the entire health care safety net.”

The California Association of Nurse Anesthesiology (CANA) represents CRNAs across the state. Since 1931, CANA has provided leadership, advocacy, and education to advance patient safety and support the nurse anesthesia profession. Learn more at www.canainc.org.