MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WDNews) — A $203.4 million federal award to Alabama could help address the state’s ongoing physician shortage, particularly in rural communities, according to the Medical Association of the State of Alabama.
The funding comes through the federal Rural Health Transformation Program. Alabama currently ranks near the bottom nationwide for doctors per patient, with just 241 primary care physicians for every 100,000 residents. That places the state 45th in the nation.
“The causes of Alabama’s doctor shortage are many, including physician retirements, physician burnout, a challenging medical liability environment, and reimbursement rates that rank among the lowest in the country,” said Dr. Mark LeQuire, president of the Medical Association…