Much of Nevada and large parts of Montana fall into those gaps between specialists - places that have recently grappled with wildfires that fill the air with smoke and ash, which can cause lung problems or exacerbate existing ones.Īllergies, asthma, and similar issues are often handled by primary care physicians, but patients are sent to pulmonologists when problems escalate - think severe asthma chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD or emphysema.ĭata from the Association of American Medical Colleges shows the number of pulmonary disease specialists in the U.S. Specifically, the research found that about 5.5 million Americans live in the 488 counties where drive times to pulmonologists are an hour or more. In other parts of the West and Upper Midwest, however, patients must drive an hour or more, according to data analyzed by GoodRx, a website that tracks prescription drug prices and conducts research. Douglas County residents must drive 30 minutes, on average, for medical care from lung specialists called pulmonologists. Yet, by one measure, people who live in Douglas County are better off than those in some other hard-hit areas. In September, as smoke settled over Nevada, fire-related air quality alerts were dispatched in six other states: California, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington, and Wyoming. Tribe members and other area residents are among millions of people nationwide who this year will experience poor air quality because of wildfires. The tribe’s land straddles the border between California and Nevada near Lake Tahoe and extends into Douglas County, about 60 miles south of Reno. “There’s not much we could do about it,” said Serrell Smokey, chairman of the Washoe Tribe of Nevada and California.
0 kommentar(er)
