The American Medical Association has updated its policy to address the health needs of rural communities through workforce initiatives.
Limited access to primary and specialty physician care negatively impacts rural populations, and the current demand for care does not match supply of rural physicians. AMA’s updated policy makes several recommendations that aim to relieve this care gap and proposes measures to encourage the pursuit of and exposure to rural training opportunities that reach patients.
“For the nearly 60 million people who live in rural communities across America, persistent inequities continue to place barriers on access to medical care—resulting in devastatingly higher rates of mortality and preventable hospitalizations for this patient population,” AMA Board of Trustees Member Scott Ferguson, MD, said in a statement. “There is a clear, urgent need for more physicians to serve in rural America to help close existing gaps in patient care.”
In its update, the AMA encourages Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) review committees to consider adding exposure to rural medicine, encourage the development of rural program tracks in training programs and increase physician awareness of the challenging conditions and lack of resources in rural areas.
The AMA also supports virtual educational content to help enhance smaller training programs. Virtual healthcare has become a critical resource since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, and telehealth has long been touted as a solution to address healthcare needs in rural communities. Incoming infrastructure from the recently passed Infrastructure Investments and Jobs Act could further bolster internet infrastructure to support more telehealth services.
The association urges an assessment of the impact of physician supply and patient demand in rural communities based on the 2020 U.S. Census report, as well as undertaking a study of structural urbanism, federal payment policies, and the impact on rural workforce disparities. The AMA further stated its policy recommendations will work to augment the impact of initiatives to address rural physician workforce shortages.
“The AMA is dedicated to addressing the root causes of health inequities for the rural patient population, and this policy is one step closer to removing those obstacles to care and achieving optimal health for all,” Ferguson said.
Amy joined TriMed Media as a Senior Writer for HealthExec after covering home care for three years. When not writing about all things healthcare, she fulfills her lifelong dream of becoming a pirate by sailing in regattas and enjoying rum. Fun fact: she sailed 333 miles across Lake Michigan in the Chicago Yacht Club "Race to Mackinac."