Rural health access doesn't fail because we don't care. It fails because we underinvest in the people whose job it is to bring clinicians to the communities that need them most.

Today, let's remember, every unfilled search is a patient who can't get care.

#NationalRuralHealthDay #Healthcare

But 64% say they need stronger leadership support, 42% want a better understanding of staffing needs, and 41% are asking for more transparent communication. We're asking recruiters to solve a crisis-level workforce shortage without treating them like the strategic partners they are.

Now layer in rural. Longer searches. Fewer candidates. Communities waiting. What breaks my heart is that 87% of physician recruiters feel called to this work. They're closing care gaps.

That's how long it takes, on average, to fill an oncology position. Nearly a year, and surgical and specialty searches aren't much better, median time-to-fill for physicians hit 118 days in 2024. Nearly half of all physician searches were still open at the end of 2024.