Practitioners are filling in for scarce physicians.
Facing a dearth of physicians, rural America is turning to mid-level practitioners. The changing rural healthcare system is relying more on primary care and outpatient services, and mid-level practitioners are viewed as the most economical providers of such care. States, swayed by arguments that rural access to care is decreasing, are loosening licensing restrictions so "mid-levels" can treat where few physicians want to work.
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D003151:Community Health Centers; D006761:Hospitals; D007355:Insurance, Nursing Services / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D008484:Medicaid / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D009722:Nurse Practitioners / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012423:Rural Health; D014481:United States; D000078329:Workforce