Building and maintaining a successful surgery program in rural Minnesota.
For decades, it has been axiomatic that rural health care systems are crucial factors not only in the health of the populations that they serve but also in the viability of America's rural communities. Medical care, as it is delivered in rural America, is becoming increasingly problematic as national health care delivery models evolve. Increasing reimbursement pressures and changing practitioner lifestyle expectations have had negative effects on rural communities and resulted in rural hospital closings and a declining level of surgical care available. These two factors are interrelated, given the importance of surgical services to the revenue stream of any hospital.
McCollister
Howard M
HM
Minnesota Institute for Minimally Invasive Surgery, Cuyuna Regional Medical Center, 318 East Main Street, Crosby, MN 56441, USA. hmccollister@clmc.sisunet.org
Severson
Paul A
PA
LeMieur
Timothy P
TP
Roberts
Shawn A
SA
Gujer
Mark W
MW
D002321:Career Choice; D002983:Clinical Competence; D003479:Curriculum; D004503:Education, Medical, Graduate / Q000458:organization & administration; D013502:General Surgery / Q000193:education; D006780:Hospitals, Rural / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D007396:Internship and Residency; D019060:Minimally Invasive Surgical Procedures; D008910:Minnesota; D017145:Models, Educational; D010820:Physicians / Q000600:supply & distribution*; D016730:Program Development; D015397:Program Evaluation; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care; D019035:Rural Health Services; D000078329:Workforce