Addressing Arkansas' rural primary care challenges.

Universal health coverage may become a reality by the year 2000 and implies a greater need for primary care physicians in rural Arkansas in the 21st century. We can start this decade to build the capacity for an outstanding rural primary care system for the next century. The number of rural primary care physicians can be increased by 1) placing a high priority on recruiting more students to primary care, 2) improving the attractiveness of rural practice, and 3) improving the long-term financial viability of rural primary care. The quality of rural primary care will be greatly influenced by changes in information technology. Medical outreach activities from urban centers to rural communities and changes in rural medical infrastructures will be necessary as we approach the year 2000.