Access to Care Issues for Health Professionals in the Mountain Region of North Carolina

This article compares perspectives on access to health care issues in 12 rural counties in the mountain region of North Carolina from three sources: 1) meetings with 38 health providers; 2) a survey of 1059 households; and 3) relevant health and population statistics. The main provider concerns were: 1) transportation to care; 2) dental services; 3) lack of resources for small populations; 4) population-based issues; and 5) negative perceptions about local health care. These concerns were compared to results from the survey and health statistics and similarities and differences among the three sources of information were noted. Comparisons were not made to validate or discredit any of the three sources of information, but rather to provide a rounded picture of access to care problems in a rural area. Results are discussed in terms of their policy implications, such as the degree of congruence between health professionals' perceptions and other information, the need to provide better transportation to care, and the issues of providing care to the elderly and Hispanics.