Though initially spared from the brunt of the COVID-19 pandemic, rural areas in the United States have been ravaged by the disease. With a higher-risk population at baseline and an already strained health care system, rural hospitals face severe challenges in delivering care during the pandemic. In otolaryngology specifically, there has been difficulty in ensuring patient access to care while maintaining safe environments for patients and staff. Partnership between academic medical centers and critical access rural hospitals is urgently needed to help improve care for vulnerable rural populations.
Keywords: COVID-19; SARS-CoV-2; health care disparities; otolaryngology; rural health.