Family Physicians' Contributions to Rural Emergency Care and Urban Urgent Care

J Am Board Fam Med. 2019 May-Jun;32(3):295-296. doi: 10.3122/jabfm.2019.03.180338.

Abstract

Using 2017 data, we demonstrate a sharp increase in the proportion of family physicians (FPs) working primarily in rural emergency departments and increasing numbers of FPs working in urgent care centers. Despite growth in emergency medicine-trained physicians, FPs are likely to continue to be the backbone of emergency care in rural America.

Keywords: Family Physicians; Rural Health.

MeSH terms

  • Ambulatory Care / organization & administration
  • Ambulatory Care / statistics & numerical data*
  • Ambulatory Care Facilities / organization & administration
  • Ambulatory Care Facilities / statistics & numerical data*
  • Humans
  • Physician's Role
  • Physicians, Family / organization & administration
  • Physicians, Family / statistics & numerical data*
  • Practice Patterns, Physicians' / statistics & numerical data
  • Rural Health Services / organization & administration
  • Rural Health Services / statistics & numerical data*
  • Surveys and Questionnaires / statistics & numerical data
  • United States
  • Urban Health Services / organization & administration
  • Urban Health Services / statistics & numerical data*