The challenge of rural healthcare involves recruiting and retaining physicians, according to Physician's Money Digest.
Here are five things to know:
1. About one quarter of the U.S. population lives in rural communities, and these people generally have more unhealthy lifestyles. Smoking and drinking rates prove higher and exercise rates prove lower.
2. About 9 percent of U.S. physicians serve in rural areas.
3. Most of the physicians serving patients in rural areas come right out of medical school and lack career experience.
4. These young physicians often work in rural populations for one year or so, and then move to other areas.
5. To improve the rural healthcare situation, some propose a lifetime pension plan if physicians put in 10 years to 15 years of service in rural communities.
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