Shortage of 200,000 Doctors Predicted in US by 2020
Posted by Clark Venable on 11/10/2004
Annals of Internal Medicine (free): Weighing the Evidence for Expanding Physician Supply
...[snip]...
"... the data, forecasts, and signals discussed earlier indicate that physician shortages are upon us and are likely to worsen over time. The picture that emerges is uncomplicated and unambiguous. In simple numeric terms, the number of physicians is no longer keeping up with population growth. The ability to fully service the population is further compromised by the increasing complexity of the care that physicians provide and the decreasing time commitment that many physicians are willing to make. These limitations collide with economic trends that predict a growing demand for physician services. Recruiters, medical leaders, and patients are already experiencing these shortages, and colleagues in other English-speaking countries see a situation in the United States that is all too familiar to them.""Missing from the article is any mention of 'malpractice', 'tort reform', or 'liability reform'. These issues do effect how long someone chooses to practice and where. If one believes that there's a physician shortage coming, states would be wise to become 'friendlier' to physicians by enacting tort reform in order to insure they remain a viable choice for physicians looking for a place to practice. Of course, Pennsylvania won't be among them, at least not while Ed [trial lawyer] Rendell is governor, as he's already been quoted as saying that malpractice reform is "the next governor's problem."
[Via Medscape]
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