Access to medical care requires an adequate number and proper distribution of doctors in all parts of the country. Concentration of doctors in one region and shortages in others can lead to inequities in access such as longer travel or waiting times. The uneven distribution of doctors and the difficulties in recruiting and retaining doctors in certain regions is an important policy issue in most OECD countries, especially those with remote and sparsely populated areas, and those with deprived rural and urban regions.
