島根県自治体における医療問題と医療施策の実態

To clarify issues associated with community health care/management systems and strategies for resolving them in local government authorities of Shimane prefecture, we send questionnaires to all（n=21）of local government authorities in Shimane prefecture. All of them responded, and data derived from questionnaires indicated that most of the local government authorities（n=20）were facing to serious problems, including the shortage of physician and nurse. Shortage of physician and nurse was more critical in rural and underserved area than in urban area. As the strategies for recruitment and retention of physician and nurse, the local government authorities strongly supported so called ‘the physician and nurse shortage area program’, which admits medical school applicants from rural backgrounds who intend to practice in rural
and underserved area for future. Moreover, they started to establish ‘pipeline’ between local government authorities and hospitals, communities and medical school in their region, to support and encourage rural physician and nurse in many ways. These evidences obtained from this study are very important and useful for the Health Care Professional Coordinator who plays a role in the recruitment and retention of health
care professionals in the community.