According to researchers at Navigant, 10 states are at the highest risk of rural hospital closures. These include: Kentucky, Iowa, Oklahoma, Michigan, Arkansas, Minnesota, Alabama, Georgia, Kansas, and Mississippi.
Emergency and maternity services are most affected by this reality. More than half of all rural counties lack a hospital offering obstetrical care which increases the risk of pregnancy-related complications and poor birth outcomes. The increasing Obstetrician shortage is a significant contributor to this unfortunate issue.
When I opened my own Gynecology-only private practice 6 years ago, I never dreamed I would be delivering babies again. At that time, my plan was to provide "comprehensive high quality evidence-based office and surgical gynecologic care in a warm and relaxing environment". Which I did. But as the practice evolved, I realized the projected revenues were significantly less than anticipated (in part, due to my purposeful decision to spend more time with my patients accompanied by declining reimbursements). I began looking for extra work ("physician side gigs") as well as making the decision to return to school (more school?!) to learn the "business side" of Medicine.
For 18 months, I was a student in a hybrid (distance learning plus in-residence sessions) Masters Program for mid-career healthcare professionals. One of many "think tanks" where solutions to our complex healthcare system's problems are brainstormed. It offered me an incredible learning experience as well as the opportunity to work with national healthcare leaders.
I met two healthcare leaders from rural Kansas who through innovative strategies were successfully growing their hospital's Obstetrics service line as well as improving patient outcomes. This inspired me to obtain my Kansas medical license which led to my first rural locum tenens Obstetrics assignment.
Over the next two years, I've been fortunate to help hospitals in rural Kansas, Texas, and New Mexico. What started as a "physician side gig" has evolved into a renewed passion of practicing full-scope Obstetrics and Gynecology again. And helping others.
I encourage my physician colleagues as well as mid-level providers, nurses and ancillary support personnel to help our rural hospitals stay open. There are many locum tenens opportunities available throughout the United States with the flexibility of working a long weekend every few months to several weeks at a time.
"Way over yonder
Is a place that I know
Where I can find shelter
From a hunger and cold
And the sweet tastin' good life
Is so easily found
A way over yonder, that's where I'm bound..."
Carole King
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