Smith Island, MD is a small rural community located off the coast of Maryland in the Chesapeake Bay. With a population of about 500, Smith Island has limited access to health care resources. Despite these limitations, there are still several local hospitals and medical facilities that provide quality care to residents of Smith Island. Through The University of Maryland health system, residents have access to primary care doctors, specialists, and even urgent care centers. There are also a number of pharmacies located on the island providing essential medications for the community. In addition to these local hospitals and medical facilities, there are telemedicine services available which help bridge the gap between having limited resources on the island and being able to receive quality healthcare when necessary. Residents also have transportation options like ferry rides or water taxis for those who need assistance getting to an off-island provider for specialty care or emergency services. Overall, although Smith Island has limited resources compared with other communities in Maryland, its local health systems are still providing quality health care solutions for its residents.
The health of a city has many different factors. It can refer to air quality, water quality, risk of getting respiratory disease or cancer. The people you live around can also affect your health as some places have lower or higher rates of physical activity, increased alcohol intake, smoking, obesity, and cancer rates.
Physicians per Capita
There are 62 physicians per 100,000 population in Smith Island. The US average is 210 per 100,000 people.
Health Cost Index
The annual BestPlaces Health Cost Index for the Smith Island area is 95.4 (lower=better). The US average is 100.
95.4 / 100
Example: 110 = 10% more expensive than national average.
Water Qualtiy Index
The annual BestPlaces Water Quality Index for the Smith Island area is 67 (100=best). The US average is 55.
67 / 100
Note that this is a measure of Watershed quality, not the water that comes from your faucet. The EPA has stated that a healthy watershed is closely related to drinking water quality. The EPA has a complex method of measuring watershed quality using 15 indicators such as pH, chemicals, metals, and bacteria.
Superfund Index
The annual BestPlaces Superfund Index for the Smith Island area is 95 (100=best). The US average is 87.
95 / 100
The EPA's Superfund program is responsible for cleaning up some of our nation's most contaminated land. Our index is based on the number of active Superfund sites (over 15,000 in the United States), with particular attention paid to those on the National Priorities List which pose the greatest health danger.
Quick Facts
Commuting can effect your health. The average person in Smith Island commutes 24.9 minutes one-way, which is shorter than the US average of 26.4 minutes.
Air Quality Index
The annual BestPlaces Air Quality Index for the Smith Island area is 81 (100=best). The US average is 58.
81 / 100
This is based on new measures of hazardous air pollutants from the EPA, called the National Air Toxics Assessment. This analysis models respiratory illness and cancer risk down to the zip code level, providing better detail and insight than the previous analysis based solely on results from air monitoring stations.