Jeff Roe, Dr. John Tomkowiak and Antony Chiang: Partnerships are key to expanding rural health care access - Sun, 11 Aug 2019 PST
The divide between the health outcomes of urban and rural communities is stark. A 2017 study by the National Rural Health Association found that people living in rural areas tend to be sicker, poorer and older than their urban counterparts. They experience higher rates of chronic disease, disability and premature death. These rural areas also tend to suffer disproportionately from inadequate access to health care. Access and quality are only part of the issue. The doctors who serve our rural communities are getting older and we are not replenishing the ranks quickly enough to meet the needs of people across the U.S. At least half of rural-area physicians are now more than 50 years old. Younger physicians are rapidly leaving rural communities to practice in urban areas where they can often command higher compensation, build specialty practices or have greater access to resources. Jeff Roe, Dr. John Tomkowiak and Antony Chiang: Partnerships are key to expanding rural health care access - Sun, 11 Aug 2019 PST
