Approximately 35% of Oregonians live in rural and frontier communities and rely on the physicians, physician associates, and acupuncturists who provide care locally.
The Oregon Office of Rural Health (ORH) defines rural as any geographic area that is ten miles or more from a population center of 40,000 people or more. Frontier counties are those with six or fewer people per square mile. Of Oregon's 36 counties, 10 are designated by ORH as frontier.
These maps showing the distribution of primary care physicians and PAs across Oregon are provided by ORH.
Governor Kate Brown proclaimed Oregon Rural Health Day to be November 16, 2017.