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The Delaware’s Department of Health and Social Services is investing more than $1.3 million into backing recruiting and retainment efforts for doctors in rural communities.
The funding comes from the state’s Rural Health Transformation Program, and the department announced last week that it will be focusing on the workforce in Kent and Sussex counties.
The money will go toward two different programs that support physicians and medical students who commit to practicing for at least five years in either county.
According to DHSS, Delaware ranks last out of all 50 states when it comes to meeting primary care needs, meeting less than 15% of the demand. The Health Resources and Services Administration has designated Kent and Sussex counties as Medically Underserved Areas and Health Professional Shortage Areas for primary care, dental care and mental health services.
The shortage is particularly felt in Sussex County, which saw a nearly 30% population increase between 2010 and 2022. The rapid growth has put a strain on health care infrastructure, with there being only one primary care doctor for every 2,000 residents. In Kent County, that ratio is 1 for every 1,700 residents; and for New Castle County, it’s 1 per 960.
“That means it is challenging to get primary care appointments and to stay connected to health care in our communities,” DHSS Secretary Christen Linke Young told WHYY News. “As a result, people may put off visits to a physician that might catch something early, or they might seek care in ultimately more expensive health care settings for them and for our system as a whole.”
Young said the state is working to create a pipeline to grow the physician workforce and support rural communities. It’s one goal of the Rural Health Transformation Program, which was also designed to increase health care access and lower costs for residents living in rural areas. Additionally, Young said DHSS is investing in nonphysician sectors of the workforce, like nurses, dental hygienists and other health care workers.
“We are really thinking holistically about how we build the health care workforce that the state needs to thrive in the years ahead,” Young said.
The Rural Health Transportation Program is funded by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, which awarded the state about $157.4 million in financial assistance. It comes from $50 billion in federal awards that will be allocated to all 50 states over the course of five years. The first round of funding was rewarded in 2026.
