10/24/07 Bend
A Portland hospital is working to stop the shortage of doctors in small towns like those in Central Oregon. 

With technology today you would think a simple click of the mouse would be able to find you just about anything, even a doctor.  But that doesn't seem to be the case especially here in Central Oregon.

OHSU President Dr. Joe Peterson was in Bend today to address numerous healthcare issues.

"The most overriding concern that I hear time and time again is access to healthcare and specifically how it relates to healthcare providers, healthcare professionals," Dr. Joe Robertson tells KOHD News.

Peterson says part of the problem is that with many doctors retiring there are simply not enough incoming doctors to take their place.  That leaves some practices flooded with patients which means that booking an appointment becomes a challenge.

Dr. Richard MacDonnell owns a private practice here in Bend and is not surprised that Oregon isn't attracting new doctors.

"Oregon is one of the lowest reimbursers in the nation in Medicare reimbursement. In 50 states I think that's a pretty big issue especially when your dealing with towns with high levels of retirement," Dr. MacDonnell says.

Bend being a town many choose to retire in raises the amount of Medicare users and with low reimbursement rates some practices have stopped taking Medicare patients.  In hopes to encourage new doctors to the area OHSA includes internship programs at local hospitals like St. Charles Medical Center.  There are currently 30 interns at St Charles. 

The hope is that programs similar to this will get future doctors acquainted with more rural areas.