The study provides yet another data point that rural health care is in trouble in the U.S. It found that 38% of counties in the U.S.—home to roughly 15 million Americans—have no general surgeons, and 30% of counties have no surgeon across 12 different specialties. Even many rural counties with hospitals, which are often called critical access hospitals, have no full-time surgeon.
“The question is, what kind of surgical care is being deferred? How far are people being transferred to receive the care that they need? What does that represent in terms of a burden to patients? And what does this mean in terms of costs to the health care system?” Tsai says.
The lack of surgeons in rural areas could worsen as H.R. 1, also known as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, is implemented across the country. It includes cuts to Medicaid and is projected to force many hospitals to close.
Overall, access to surgeons was unequal throughout the country: surgeon supply in some specialties was 12 times higher in some regions than others. Rochester, Minn., where the Mayo Clinic is located, has 250 surgeons per 100,000 people, while Harlingen, Texas has just 20.
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