Exploring health needs of rural America, the paper concludes that the 2 most basic problems of rural areas are medical manpower and organization of services: the most acute needs are for more primary physicians and for better organization of primary medical practice. Of the various methods considered for geographical redistribution of medical manpower to rural areas, the one that may hold the greatest promise is the recruitment of physicians to organized groups. Also, in some rural areas, solutions completely different from the traditional "physician in residence" must be sought. Emphasis may be needed on expanded transportation and communication capabilities, part-time use of physicians and allied health workers, new physician support occupations, and better understanding of individual health practices. To help close these gaps in rural communities, several suggestions are offered, such as: (1) physicians in communities can lead recruitment efforts; (2) if communities do not have adequate financial and population resources for recruitment, they can combine their resources with nearby communities; (3) citizens in every community can make efforts to reduce the burdens they place on rural physicians; and (4) the need for medical personnel can be advertised through physician placement services, medical schools, and teaching hospitals. It is also noted that, to improve rural health, the totality of deficiencies in rural living today must be addressed. (KM)