Georgia continues to face a growing shortage of physicians and other healthcare providers, with rural communities experiencing some of the greatest challenges in accessing medical care.

According to federal Health Resources and Services Administration data, Georgia has hundreds of designated Health Professional Shortage Areas for primary care, mental health and dental services. Many rural counties struggle to recruit and retain doctors, forcing residents to travel longer distances for routine and specialized care.

A number of factors are driving the shortage, including an aging physician workforce, population growth, physician burnout and too few residency training positions to meet the state’s long-term needs. Healthcare experts also say younger physicians are increasingly choosing to practice in urban and suburban areas rather than rural communities.

A recent Georgia legislative commission studying maternal and infant health recommended expanding graduate medical education, filling more residency positions in family medicine, pediatrics and obstetrics, and increasing incentives to keep physicians in Georgia after they complete their training. The commission concluded that strengthening the healthcare workforce will be critical to improving access to care and addressing the state’s long-term healthcare needs.