Tuesday, May 31 2011 7:57AM
A future lack of general surgeons in rural communities in the Northwest is the topic of a recent study.
Rural communities are projected to feel the effects of a lack of general surgeons and other health specialists more than urban areas during the next few years, according to a study by the Washington-Wyoming-Alaska-Montana-Idaho (WWAMI) Rural Health Research Center.
The report shows a high number of general surgeons have already reached retirement age or will in the next few years. With fewer surgeons currently working in rural communities and the considerable amount of them expected to retire soon, the WWAMI study states there is a need for better health training programs and facilities in rural America.
"In urban areas, much of that decline can be offset with general surgery subspecialists," Dr. Mark Doescher, director of the WWAMI Rural Health Research Center, said in a statement. "But in rural areas where you don't have the population density to support the specialists, that impact becomes much more significant."
He added that many newly certified general surgeons working in rural areas today don't have the skill set necessary to perform basic procedures due to a lack of efficient training.