For more than 30 years, Rural Health Education and Services at the University of Kansas Medical Center has been connecting health care providers with Kansas communities that need them most. A new report published in March shows the scale of the department’s efforts:  an estimated $5.8 billion in economic benefit for Kansas since 1990. 

The numbers tell only part of the story--the department's larger mission is to ensure Kansans can get care close to home while the state's clinics and hospitals continue to face challenges. In 2024 alone, Rural Health generated over $423 million in economic impact throughout the state. 

“We’ve always known that health care providers are essential to the wellbeing of Kansas communities,” said Joyce Grayson, director of Rural Health Education and Services. “Now we have a clear picture of just how much they also contribute to the economic health of our state.” 

Since 1990, Rural Health Education and Services has helped place 533 physicians in rural and underserved areas across Kansas where recruiting and retaining medical talent can be especially challenging amid a national health care workforce shortage.  

The department’s economic impact comes primarily from jobs and wages: A physician joining a clinic or hospital creates jobs not only for nurses and staff, but also drives business for local shops, restaurants and service providers. Hospitals are often the second-largest employer in small towns, after schools. 

The $5.8 billion estimate is based on the length of time physicians have stayed in the communities where they were placed. Nearly half of the doctors placed through Rural Health Education and Services’ programs are still working in those original locations and more than 75% still practice in Kansas, a strong sign of satisfaction and success. Some placements span 10 or even 20 years, generating long-term impact. 

Retaining Kansas-trained physicians is another central focus for department’s work: 91% of Rural Health Education and Services’ placements involve individuals who completed medical school and/or residency training within the state. 

Economic conditions, such as inflation, are also factored into the calculations, which follow respected national formulas used by rural health organizations across the country. 

While this report focuses on physicians, Rural Health also has placed nearly 700 total placements across an array of health care professions, including nurse practitioners, physician assistants, behavioral health providers, dentists, and more. Future research may explore the economic contributions of these additional roles. 

Get to know Rural Health Education and Services  

Rural Health Education and Services advances the health care workforce through targeted recruitment and retention initiatives, primarily the Kansas Bridging Plan and the Kansas Recruitment and Retention Center. The bridging plan was initially created from a grant but converted to a state-based program in 1994. The retention center was created in 2003 in partnership with the Kansas Department of Health and Environment’s State Office of Primary Care and Rural Health.  

As of December 2024, 408 physicians placed in Kansas with assistance from the bridging plan or the recruitment center remain in active practice within the state. 

Rural Health is planning for Kansas’ future health care needs with its statewide programs, including: 

• Kansas Recruitment and Retention Center: Connecting job-seeking health care professionals with Kansas communities. 

• Kansas Bridging Plan: Offering loan forgiveness for physicians who choose to stay and work in Kansas after residency. 

• Kansas Locum Tenens Program: Helping clinics and hospitals stay staffed when short-term coverage is needed. 

• Leadership and Development Training: Offering workforce development tailored to local health care organizations. 

• Kansas Career Opportunities: An annual health care career fair that helps organizations recruit the next generation of providers. 

“These programs are part of our long-term commitment to keeping health care strong in Kansas,” Grayson said. “We’re here to support every community, from our largest cities to our smallest towns.” 

See the Rural Health Economic Impact Report.