The visiting specialist model of rural health care delivery: a survey in Massachusetts.
BACKGROUND
Hospitals in rural communities may seek to increase specialty care access by establishing clinics staffed by visiting specialists.


OBJECTIVE
To examine the visiting specialist care delivery model in Massachusetts, including reasons specialists develop secondary rural practices and distances they travel, as well as their degree of satisfaction and intention to continue the visiting arrangement.


METHODS
Visiting specialists at 11 rural hospitals were asked to complete a mailed survey.


RESULTS
Visiting specialists were almost evenly split between the medical (54%) and surgical (46%) specialties, with ophthalmology, nephrology, and obstetrics/gynecology the most common specialties reported. A higher proportion of visiting specialists than specialists statewide were male (P = .001). Supplementing their patient base and income were the most important reasons visiting specialists reported for having initiated an ancillary clinic. There was a significant negative correlation between a hospital's number of staffed beds and the total number of visiting specialists it hosted (r =-0.573, P = .032); study hospitals ranged in bed size from 15 to 129.


CONCLUSIONS
The goal of matching supply of health care services with demand has been elusive. Visiting specialist clinics may represent an element of a market structure that expands access to needed services in rural areas. They should be included in any enumeration of physician availability.
Drew
Jacob
J
University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts 01655, USA. JMDrew29@capecod.com
Cashman
Suzanne B
SB
Savageau
Judith A
JA
Stenger
Joseph
J
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000458:organization & administration; D006780:Hospitals, Rural / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008404:Massachusetts; D008507:Medically Underserved Area; D008511:Medicine / Q000458:organization & administration*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010561:Personnel Staffing and Scheduling / Q000458:organization & administration*; D019035:Rural Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D013038:Specialization