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Coast working to replace docs who left after Katrina.

Article Excerpt
A shortage of physicians isn't a problem limited to Mississippi. Physician availability is an issue across the country. But Mississippi remains last in the country when it comes to the number of doctors per capita.

Generally urban areas have less difficulty with physician availability than rural areas, so the Coast of Mississippi has been better staffed than rural areas of the state, particularly the Delta. Then came Hurricane Katrina. In the worst hit area of the Mississippi Gulf Coast, Hancock County, few physician's practices or homes were spared damage.

"Hancock Medical's physicians suffered a devastating blow from Hurricane Katrina," says Janet McQueen, marketing director for Hancock Medical Center. "But while most lost both their homes and offices, most have chosen to stay in the community. Shortly after the storm, the hospital developed a temporary employment plan to assist physicians in critical areas until they were able to re-establish their practices. The decline in Hancock County's population, coupled with a dramatic increase in uninsured residents posed daunting challenges for those in private practice."

Despite that, McQueen said Hancock County now has ample coverage in most primary care areas, including family medicine and pediatrics.

"We are proud to say we have continuous coverage in general surgery, with a surgeon on call seven days a week," McQueen said. "Orthopedics is one specialty...

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