Desert For One: Individual Medical Deserts Are Plentiful But Not Unstoppable

An individual medical desert exists wherever a consumer’s practical access to appropriate, timely, and affordable care is constrained in a manner that’s personal to them. The number of individual medical deserts is increasing, often due to cost or process disputes between payers, providers, employers, and regulators. Just as these key ecosystem players are creating the problem, they must be the ones to solve it. This report describes the causes of individual medical deserts and explains how payers, providers, retailers, employers, and regulators can combat their infiltration.