Saint Alphonsus Supports Initiative to Boost Number of Doctors in Rural Idaho

Health System Makes Scholarship Donation to The Primary Care Initiative

Idaho ranks 45^th in the nation for the number of primary care physicians per 100,000 people. 88% of the state is considered rural, and there is a chronic shortage of doctors in rural communities. Saint Alphonsus Health System donated today to The Primary Care Initiative (PCI), supporting a new initiative aimed at increasing the number of doctors in rural Idaho.

PCI is a non-profit, private organization established by the Idaho College of Osteopathic Medicine (ICOM) and Blue Cross of Idaho to address the critical shortage of primary care physicians in rural Idaho.

“Medical school debt can be one of the biggest factors in what specialties and locations a doctor may choose to practice,” said Dr. Lisa Nelson, MD, Medical Director of Medical Education at Saint Alphonsus. “The median debt for medical school graduates is more than $200,000, so many of these new doctors choose to locate in larger urban areas where the pay is better. We are hoping to reverse that trend and encourage these providers to practice in rural Idaho.”

The Primary Care Initiative seeks to decrease the burden on new doctors by supporting physicians who practice primary care specialties (such as family medicine, general internal medicine, and general pediatrics) in rural Idaho through loan repayment programs, and medical students with demonstrated academic excellence, financial need, and commitment to practicing primary care in rural Idaho through annual student scholarships.

“Saint Alphonsus understands the importance of high-quality medical care close to home, regardless of where one lives, and we’re pleased to help fund a scholarship for a current ICOM and, importantly, Idaho resident student with demonstrated commitment to practicing rural primary care in our state in the future,” said Odette Bolano, President and CEO of Saint Alphonsus Health System.

35 of Idaho’s 44 counties are classified as rural, and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has designated 39 counties as Health Professional Shortage Areas.