SPRINGFIELD, IL – A new report dissects the impact of COVID-19 on the rural health workforce and identifies methods the state can utilize current health workers more efficiently while committing to long-term rural health workforce recruitment strategies. “Pre-pandemic, rural regions suffered from significant healthcare provider shortages, which often required rural residents to travel long distances or wait longer for appointments,” said Dr. Sameer Vohra, Chair, SIU Medicine Department of Population Science and Policy. “Despite rural health workers’ heroic efforts during the pandemic, job