Wisconsin can prepare and support rural physicians

Abstract

The Institute of Medicine of the National Academies in its November 2002 report, Fostering Rapid Advances in Health Care: Learning from System Demonstrations, gives the best vision for American health care I have yet come across. "The health care system of the 21st century should maximize the health and functioning of both individual patients and communities. To accomplish this goal, the system should balance and integrate needs for personal health care with broader community-wide initiatives that target the entire population. The health care system must have well-defined processes for making the best use of limited resources." It is our job in Wisconsin to assure that we have "well-defined processes for making the best use of limited resources" for preparing and supporting physicians in rural communities.