Distribution of the Georgia Pulmonology Workforce: A Rural-Urban Analysis

Southern Medical Journal 2026

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Authors: Shervin Eskandari, Dev Kumar Shah, William E. Long, Natasha M. Savage, Shaheen Islam, William J. Healy
DOI: 10.14423/smj.0000000000001946
Cited by: 1
References: 18

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: Although healthcare disparities between rural and urban populations are documented, access to pulmonary subspecialty care in rural regions is not well characterized. This study aimed to quantify rural-urban disparities in access to pulmonology, pulmonary critical care medicine (PCCM), and sleep medicine physicians in Georgia. METHODS: . Travel burden was calculated as the linear distance from each county centroid to the nearest physician practice. RESULTS: < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: There are significant rural-urban disparities in access to pulmonary subspecialty care in Georgia, with severe shortages in rural counties.

Fields of Study & Subjects

Global Health Workforce Issues Diversity and Career in Medicine Primary Care and Health Outcomes

Publication details

Journal / source
Southern Medical Journal
Publisher
Southern Medical Association
Volume
119
Issue
3
Pages
146–151
Publication date
1 March 2026
Language
EN