Minnesota's rural health workforce shortages.

With the Affordable Care Act's promise of health insurance coverage for 34 million more Americans comes the question of whether the medical establishment has the capacity to provide care to all who need it. Concern over whether the United States has enough primary care physicians, especially in rural areas, isn't new. Since the end of World War II, the country has been contending with shortages. This article provides an historical perspective on the shortage and efforts to alleviate it in the United States and Minnesota.