I appreciate the passion shared in a recent letter regarding a future medical school and the physician shortage in Sussex County. That said, I don't understand the need for the writer to tear down a visionary, transformative solution in favor of cash-driven remedies. It doesn't have to be an either/or answer. In fact, a true solution includes both short-term fixes and long-term solutions. Support for graduate medical education (residency) and financial incentives for physicians are needed. Growth and support for existing residency programs are embedded in the scope of work of the medical school partner RFP being solicited by DHSS. Financial incentives for physicians practicing in rural areas are included in Delaware's Rural Health Transformation Fund Initiatives Nos. 10 and 11, but it should be realized that provider payments are capped under the program governed by CMS.
From an economic development perspective, medical education, including a medical school, will serve as a catalyst for investment and growth in our community. Financial status is a key driver of good health. Prosperity and upward economic growth represent a long-term, sustainable path to better health for Sussex.
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