Dr. Richard Mulder of Ivanhoe will retire in February and in terms of the health care debate happening in the U.S., Mulder's retirement may seem like a blip on the radar.
But it's not a blip. In fact, it is an illustration about the state of access to doctors and health care in rural Minnesota and in rural areas in general.
Mulder is a family practice doctor which means he has delivered babies and performed surgery on family members for more than 40 years. He's practiced alone and with other doctors or nurse practioners.
The Minnesota Hospital Association said in 2007 only about 5 percent of Minnesota's doctors practice in rural areas. The University of Minnesota Duluth's Medical School Web site said this year, only 10 percent of all doctors nationally are family practice doctors.
Forty-five percent of all Minnesota doctors were over the age of 50 in 2007, the MHA said.
By 2030, 80 percent of the population over 65 will be living in areas with a decrease in doctors and doctor hours, the MHA said.
While the UMD medical school focuses on family practice and practices in rural areas, a rural area can also be a city with a population of 20,000 or 50,000 or less, as the school's Web site said.
The region is fortunate to have as many doctors in practice in Marshall, Hendricks, Canby and other cities as it does, but it's clear it's not easy to attract them to rural areas.
So, as the public follows the health care reform debate, remember rural areas already have some obstacles to access.