A Shortage of Next Generation Physicians in Rural Medicine

Telemedicine Provides A Solution to Physician Shortage

Rural Hospitals Across America Are Trying To Find Unique Ways To Attract Graduating Physicians

There is no-doubt, rural hospitals are raising concerns over the growing demand for qualified rural physicians. According to a recent publication by AAMC (2/3/20), there are certainly fewer replacement physicians than those who are retiring each year and rural communities are starting to feel the impact.*
“There’s no doctor in the county. No psychiatrist. No dentist,” says Joy Anderson, who runs acommunity health center in the county seat of Fossil. Twice a month, a doctor travels to the center for half a day. But in situations like a serious emergency, complicated labor, or a need for chemotherapy,“ patients have to travel 70 miles to see a physician at the nearest hospital and often even farther,” Anderson notes.**

Telemedicine is Attractive Because it Meets the Physician in the Middle.

Horizon Virtual is opening the door for a more attractive model. New Generation Physicians understand how to leverage technology. Telemedicine meets the physician in the middle, by allowing a practicing physician to be in two places at once. Now a physician can spend 70% of their time in an urban hospital, 20%-30% of their time in a rural hospital remotely, and 0%-10% of their time on-site should they require that.
Horizon Virtual is currently supplying an Internal Medicine Physician to cover the overnight shifts in Critical Access Hospitals. Rural Medical Professionals are loving it! Why? Because it eliminates the need for on-site rural physicians to cross-cover an overnight shift. Which means they can now enjoy an evening with their family, when they punch out, they no longer have to fear being called back into work. Horizon Virtual understands how difficult it is to recruit Rural Physicians, and by eliminating the need to cross-cover and work long hours, we help Rural Hospitals to retain their current physicians on-staff.

More about Horizon Virtual including a Demo Video: https://www.horizonvirtual.net/platform-overview


*/** Resource: AAMC – Attracting the Next Generation of Physicians to Rural Medicine. https://www.aamc.org/news-insights/attracting-next-generation-physicians-rural-medicine