Clinicians at Valley-Wide Health Systems never know who will appear at their clinic in San Luis, a town of about 600 people in southern Colorado. If someone's in labor, they'll show up. If someone has a laceration, they'll show up, said nurse practitioner Emelin Martinez, the chief medical officer for the health care system serving 13 rural Colorado counties.
Policymakers have long tried to lure more primary care providers to the areas of the nation that have fewer than one physician for every 3,500 residents. Recent examples include the Biden administration boosting funding in 2022 to address shortages and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) pushing sweeping primary care legislation in 2023.
#primary-care-shortage #rural-healthcare #healthcare-professionals #data-collection #policy-effectiveness
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