By Daniel Chang, KFF Health News
HAVANA, Fla. — For a rural community, this town of 1,750 people has been more fortunate than most. A family doctor has practiced here for the last 30 years.
But that ended in December when Mark Newberry retired. To attract a new doctor, Havana leaders took out want ads in local newspapers, posted notices on social media, and sweetened the pot with a rent-free medical office equipped with an X-ray, an ultrasound machine and a bone density scanner — all owned by the town.
Local leaders hope the recruitment campaign will help attract candidates amid a nationwide shortage of doctors.
“This is important for our community,” said Kendrah Wilkerson, Havana’s town manager, “in the same way that parks are important and good future planning is important.”
According to a Florida Department of Health report, doctor shortages affect all or part of nearly every county, but less populous counties, such as Gadsden, where Havana is located, have the fewest physicians per 10,000 residents.
Florida’s doctor shortage is expected to grow in the next decade, with one study projecting a statewide need of 18,000 physicians — including 6,000 primary care doctors — by 2035.
“This is a huge, huge issue,” said Matthew Smeltzer, a managing partner of Capstone Recruiting Advisors, a company that helps hospitals, physician practices, and other employers find and hire doctors. “It probably hits small towns the hardest, just because most people would prefer to live in a midsize or large community.”
In this challenging environment, Havana leaders are hoping that want ads and rent-free perks will make their small town stand out and persuade a doctor to practice here.
Wilkerson describes the community, just south of the Georgia border, as an ideal place to raise a family. Its country roads are lined with farms, pastures, and churches. Main Street downtown features antique stores, gift shops, a general store, and restaurants.
“Everything you would…
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