Region works against ongoing doctor shortage [KS]
Posted over 9 years ago by Nicholas M Perrino
"In southwest Kansas, doctors are spread thin, but rural healthcare providers are finding ways to meet primary care needs by using mid-level providers and by sharing resources.
The physician assistants will be treating more routine illnesses and will work in tandem with the doctors, who will deal with more complicated conditions.
According to Rob Nahmansen, chief executive officer of Hamilton County Hospital, the county is in need of one or two more primary care providers, but he said it's difficult for rural hospitals to compete with larger cities like Wichita or Denver for primary care physicians.
'It's difficult to find somebody who wants to come out to rural America,' Nahmansen said.
To remedy this, he said the hospital is focusing its efforts on recruiting mid-level providers — nurse practitioners and physician assistants.
'In my experience, it seems like they're a little bit more excited about the rural opportunity and so they're a little bit more open to coming out to a community of our size,' Nahmansen said."