Access to health care professionals in rural Mississippi.

Abstract

The location and identification of health professionals' practice sites is the first step in enhancing the availability of quality medical care to all regions of the state. Identification of specific areas of need is difficult, as provider data is often collected and housed separately through multiple organizations. This study provides a comparative review of the distribution of physicians, dentists, nurses, and psychologists and examines future provider needs of selected rural counties and regions within the state. Data were compiled from multiple state and federal agencies. Twenty percent of Mississippi physicians are at or near retirement age. Several Mississippi counties could lose most or all of their physicians in the next few years. The distribution of health care workers is uneven across the state. Maldistribution of health care workers and the aging health care workforce impacts access to care, particularly in rural Mississippi counties.