New White Paper from OnMed Warns of Worsening U.S. Rural Health Crisis — and Offers a Scalable, Tech-Driven Solution

Rural America is home to nearly 68 million people, and 80% of rural counties are medically underserved. In Texas alone, 35 counties exist without a single doctor, and across the country, nearly 200 rural hospitals have shut down since 2005. A staggering 43% of independent physicians have exited the profession in just the last five years. This confluence of doctor shortages, hospital closures, and lack of access has created a national emergency—one that demands more than traditional solutions.

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Today, OnMed, a pioneer in hybrid healthcare, releases a landmark white paper titled “How Healthcare Innovation Can Be Born from the Depths of America’s Rural Health Crisis.” The paper paints a dire picture—but also outlines a bold, data-backed path forward. Read the full white paper here.

“We are not building the future of healthcare—we’ve already built it,” says Karthik Ganesh, CEO of OnMed. “OnMed is proving that everyday healthcare can be delivered everywhere. Let’s not let geography determine healthcare access.”

A Crisis Reaching A Tipping Point

The white paper reveals:

• 43% decline in independent physicians (2019–2024), with nearly 9,500 doctors leaving rural practice.
• 194 rural hospitals have closed since 2005.
• 159 Texas counties lack general surgeons.
• Only 18% of rural patients have a primary care provider.
• Patients in rural South and Appalachia are among the least likely to access telehealth due to connectivity and infrastructure gaps.

The consequence? Millions of Americans go without basic medical attention—while preventable conditions worsen into crises.

Innovation At Work: The OnMed CareStation

Already deployed in seven states—including Alabama, Texas, South Carolina, Georgia, Connecticut, Florida, and Nevada—the 8’ x 11’ “Clinic-in-a-Box” CareStation delivers affordable, walk-in healthcare to those who need it most. Each station connects patients to licensed clinicians via life-sized HD screens and is equipped to capture vital signs, perform diagnostics, and issue prescriptions on-site—no travel, no waiting rooms, no clinicians required on-site.

LaFayette, Alabama, a rural town with a population of 2,700 and a significant physician shortage, served as the ideal location for a CareStation deployment in 2023 as part of a partnership with Auburn University’s Rural Health Initiative. Since then, the OnMed CareStation has completed over 2,000 consultations, and has seen almost half of the population of LaFayette with a return rate of 51%. Approximately 40% of all visits have resulted in immediate ePrescriptions sent to local pharmacies.

“This is the kind of care every rural community deserves,” said LaFayette Fire Chief Jim Doody.

By delivering immediate and comprehensive healthcare services, the OnMed CareStation is positively impacting LaFayette’s significant healthcare access crisis.

About OnMed

OnMed, winner of the 2025 CES Twice Pick’s Award, is the premier tech-enabled hybrid care company partnering with public and private organizations to reimagine healthcare access and improve health equity in communities across the country. With its patented CareStations, OnMed combines the best elements of traditional primary, urgent, or post-acute care facilities and virtual telemedicine to deliver convenient, affordable care to underserved communities, anywhere they are. OnMed licenses its cutting-edge technology and care delivery model to a wide range of organizations, including governments, employers, colleges, healthcare provider systems, payors, and high-traffic venues. OnMed is paving the way for everyday healthcare, everywhere.

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