The purpose of this article was to determine changes in the availability of outpatient health care in rural areas in Poland in terms of space-time. Among the subjects of ambulatory care healthcare institutions and medical practices providing health care services exclusively within the framework of public funds were analysed. Summing up the results of the analysis it can be concluded that the availability of health care facilities and medical practices in the country in the investigated period increased. This growth was much slower than in the city, which was particularly evident in the case of health care institutions. Despite the increasing number of these entities per 10 thous. population, their percentage in the country during the period was steadily decreasing. Regional differences in terms of access to outpatient care were also meaningful. In the case of medical practices, the percentage in the country and their number per 10 thous. population was increasing during the period.