title: The influence of visiting consultant clinics on measures of access to cancer care: evidence from the state of Iowa.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the effect of visiting consultant clinics on measures of access to cancer care for rural patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  2010 Visiting Medical Consultant Database for the state of Iowa (Carver College of Medicine) and the Iowa Physicians Information System (Carver College of Medicine).
  
  
  METHODS
  We compared shortest driving times to the nearest medical oncologist for all Iowa census tracts under two scenarios: including only primary practice locations and adding monthly visiting consultant clinic locations.
  
  
  RESULTS
  For rural Iowans, the median driving time to the closest site for medical oncology care falls from 51.6 to 19.2 minutes when monthly visiting consultant clinics are considered.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Including visiting consultant clinics has a significant impact on measures of geographic access to cancer care.
authors.affiliation: Office of Statewide Clinical Education Programs, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA.
authors.forename: Roger
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Tracy
authors.forename: Inwoo
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Nam
authors.forename: Thomas S
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: Gruca
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006302:Health Services Research; D006801:Humans; D007484:Iowa; D008297:Male; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000628:therapy*; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D019035:Rural Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D012424:Rural Population; D014195:Travel
keywords: Rural; access; cancer; medical oncologists