Rural Health Care

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Abstract
Many rural areas of the United States are considered medically underserved. At the core of this underservice is a lack of physicians. Physicians are not attracted to rural areas for a variety of personal and professional reasons. We explore the role of established group practices (EGPs) in dealing with these barriers, by using a model of small associated group practices (AGPs) created in rural communities in association with a larger EGP located elsewhere. We also describe the use of this model by the Lovelace Medical Foundation in New Mexico in creating three rural group practices and planning a fourth. (N Engl J Med. 1982; 306:74–8.)