46.3% of US rural, socioeconomically disadvantaged counties lack cardiologists, per a Journal of the American College of Cardiology study.

46.3% of US counties, predominantly rural, lack a cardiologist, according to a study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology. The majority of these counties are socioeconomically disadvantaged and have a greater burden of cardiovascular disease. The study emphasizes the deep geographic disparity in access to cardiovascular care, with many residents needing to travel over 87 miles for specialty cardiology care.