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...