Doctor shortages are hurting rural patients. Let pharmacists help them heal

For many rural patients, getting treated for a sore throat or the flu is needlessly burdensome. It can mean missing work, driving hours, waiting days for an appointment, or ending up in urgent care for a problem that should have been handled quickly. That is what provider shortages look like in practice. Seventy-four million Americans live in areas with health care shortages , and by 2036 the United States could be short by as many as 86,000 physicians. Yet many states still prevent pharmacists,