Like everything else in the country, we are the exception up here. Of course we have only 12,000 or now about 16,000 in town and our town and extended area (probably upwards of 60,000 now) is growing exponentially. I have experienced a sudden and almost overwhelming increase in my practice. Still able to care for every child but not sure how long I will be able to without another doc here.
hint hint
any Pediatricians want to come up here, write your own ticket and schedule, take call or not... Just help me with the volume. Or go work with the hospital and compete with me. I'll be glad to send any new healthy, insured patients to you and just keep those with special health care needs.
Anyway, the NYT and the WSJ have had articles about this area, the only place in the country with plenty of high paying jobs and a state with a huge excess of funds in the coffers. Not much housing though and some of our patients live in fifth wheels near the closest lake. When it gets cold that will be hard.
Williston, ND is .......
The place with the most people who earn over $100,000 and are also homeless.
There are very few uninsured here.Only about 25 % of my practice uses Medicaid. etc
Our hospital went to critical access a whle back to stay solvent. Now it is so busy it will lose that status or have to turn many admissions away. The other clinics in town have 2-3 week waits for appointments (two large family practice groups) and are searching for new docs.
There are gaps, however. The Mental Health unit closed when the only Psychiatrist in town left for a more sane life with partners and a reasonable caseload. Her Psychologist couldn't take it and ........ We have only one orthopedic surgeon and only one ENT both swamped.
I imagine many here live in places with larger populations so a decrease will be readily noticed. In the ten years I have been here, and 5 of them were when the area was reslly depressed, there have never been enough health care providers to meet the need.
Regards, Lois
