THE EVALUATION OF ACCESSIBILITY OF MEDICAL CARE OF RURAL RESIDENTS

The article considers dynamics of indices and indicators characterizing accessibility of medical care to rural population. The dynamic analysis of the period before and after implementation of the National Projects of Russia "Health", "Education", "Housing" and "Agriculture" was used as basis of assessing accessibility of medical care to rural residents. The research for the period 2014-2023 revealed that during implementation of the National Projects there was significant improvement in quality of structure of medical care of rural residents. However, problem of staffing shortage remains unsolved since increasing of staffing with physicians that is largely conditioned by decreasing of number of medical organizations, continues to further decrease indicators of provision of rural health care with medical personnel. Moreover, assessment of accessibility of medical care in hospitals demonstrated decreasing of level of number of hospital beds in rural areas and rate of hospitalization of rural population. The study revealed that in all Federal Okrugs of the Russian Federation there are problems of accessibility of medical care to rural population. Despite positive dynamics related to implementation of the state programs, conclusion is made that it is necessary to increase accessibility of medical care to rural population through both improvement of traveling forms of medical care in remote settlements and increasing of medical activity of rural residents.