Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Rural America Needs More Doctors, But Young Physicians Tend To Flock To Cities
East Oregonian: Rural America Seeks More Doctors
The shortage, especially of primary care physicians, continues to worsen. That is partially due to an imbalance in pay between primary care doctors and specialists. According to Medscape’s 2017 Physician Compensation Report, orthopedists, cardiologists, plastic surgeons and urologists all earn $400,000 or more on average. But pediatricians, internists and family medicine doctors make $225,000 or less. ...Based on Oregon Medical Board licensures and the OHSU Office of Rural Health, 10,247 of Oregon doctors practice in urban/non-rural areas and 2,362 work in rural areas (defined as 10 miles or more away from a population center of at least 40,000). The national shortage could grow to 45,000 by the year 2020, according to the NRHA. Since 2010, more than 80 rural hospitals have closed, including Walla Walla General Hospital. (Aney, 8/18)
St. Louis Post Dispatch: Rural Hospitals' Financial Health Is Under State Auditor's Lens
Missouri’s top financial watchdog is turning her spotlight on rural hospitals. In the past two weeks, state Auditor Nicole Galloway has begun to release the first batch of financial audits examining rural, county-owned hospitals. In one review, she uncovered a $90 million billing scheme that potentially exposes a county to liability issues. (Liss, 8/20)
