SUMMARY BACKGROUND

Summary description of the current economic development situation of the Southern Tier West region of New York State (Chautauqua, Cattaraugus, and Allegany Counties), comprised of the northern-most counties in the federally designated Appalachia region. The region’s economic situation is consistent with this designation.

Regional residents typically have access to high quality health care, either within the region or by traveling to larger municipalities outside the region. However, certain more rural communities are underserved by comprehensive health care services. Certain health care institutions in the region face ongoing challenges to their viability and competitiveness in response to the dynamics of technology advances and insurance and regulatory environments. In certain areas, there are shortages of certain health care providers, e.g., doctors, nurses, and specialists. Health care costs increasingly are a burden to regional employers and residents. There remain significant local opportunities for improving health care access across the region.