How is rural health care changing?
Telecommunications, informatics, practice networks and many other innovations are rapidly evolving and improving the structure of rural practice. Part-time practice is a growing option for both rural and urban physicians. A number of rural hospitals have closed, but many others are remain strong due to networking, successful physician recruitment and careful use of resources. The nature of rural life is being subjected to major change as described by Cordes in a 1990 report exploring myths about rural America. He stated that (1) rural populations in the US are no longer declining but increasing, (2) farming has given way to manufacturing as the major source of employment, (3) there are more similarities than differences in the economic structure of rural and urban America, (4) rural areas are no longer isolated from mainstream urban life, (5) rural people share much of the knowledge and many of the attitudes and beliefs of urban people, (6) rural and urban people are similarly happy wi
