Articles

Title: Where Are the Surgeons? A New Map Shows the Gaps in Rural Surgical Care

 Suggested slug: surgical-workforce-gaps-rural

 Category: Industry News

 SEO description: A new ACS mapping tool shows where surgeons practice across the U.S. and where rural communities are going without. Here's what it means for rural hospitals.

Key takeaways

• The American College of Surgeons released an interactive map showing where surgeons practice across the U.S., county by county.

• Related research found more than 15 million Americans live in a county without a general surgeon.

• Rural hospitals can use the data to make the case for recruitment, funding, and new care models.

• 
  

Every rural hospital leader knows the feeling: a patient needs a specialist, and the closest one is two hours away. Now there's a national map that shows just how common that is.

What is the ACS Surgical Workforce Mapping Tool?

The American College of Surgeons, working with the Cecil G. Sheps Center for Health Services Research at UNC-Chapel Hill, built an interactive tool that maps where surgeons practice across the country. You can look at surgeon supply by county or region, compare surgical specialties, and see where hospitals and surgery centers are located.

It's built for policymakers, advocates, and researchers, but it's just as useful for anyone trying to understand why recruiting a surgeon to a small town is so hard.

How big is the surgical gap in rural America?

A related study in the Journal of the American College of Surgeons found that more than 15 million Americans live in a county with no general surgeon. Across specialties, the gaps are deepest in rural and underserved communities.

That's not a staffing inconvenience. It means delayed diagnoses, longer drives for care, and patients who sometimes don't go at all.

What can rural hospitals do with this data?

Data like this gives rural hospitals something concrete to point to when talking with boards, funders, and state leaders. It shows the gap isn't a local failure. It's a national pattern.

It also points to a practical truth: most rural communities can't support a full-time surgeon in every specialty. But many can support one or two days a week. That's the model we focus on at Midwest Doctor Link. We work with rural hospitals in Kansas and Missouri to bring in experienced physicians for long-term, part-time schedules, so patients can get specialty care without leaving their community.

What this means for you

If you lead a rural hospital, it's worth spending ten minutes with the map. Look up your county and the counties around you. Where are the nearest surgeons in the specialties your patients need most? Those gaps are your best case for new services, and they're often easier to fill than you'd expect. A specialist who comes in one or two days a week can keep dozens of patients from making a long drive, and keep that revenue in your community.

If you're an experienced physician thinking about what's next, the map tells a different story: there are entire regions that need exactly what you know how to do. Rural outreach can be a meaningful way to use your skills on a schedule that works for you. We'd be glad to talk through what that could look like.

FAQ

What does the ACS Surgical Workforce Mapping Tool show?

It shows where surgeons practice across the U.S. by county and region, how supply varies by specialty, and where hospitals and surgery centers are located.

How many Americans live without a general surgeon in their county?

More than 15 million, according to a study in the Journal of the American College of Surgeons.

How can a rural hospital get specialty coverage without a full-time hire?

Many rural hospitals partner with experienced specialists for part-time or outreach schedules, such as one to two days per week. Midwest Doctor Link arranges these long-term, part-time placements in Kansas and Missouri.

Available Providers (as of October 1, 2026)

Credentialed and ready to discuss a schedule:

Click here to see the most updated list of available providers!

Other providers are available. Give us a call at (816) 560-4720.

Ron Booth, Founder & CEO, Midwest Doctor Link

Have a staffing gap, a provider to refer, or a question about anything here? I'm glad to talk it through, no obligation.

📞 (816) 560-4720