The physician shortage is projected to reach 86,000 by 2036. Rural areas are already feeling the effects. Education initiatives and bills in Congress aim to address issues such as limited reservation slots. This article is part of the “Healthcare Trends” series on innovation and industry. Leader who forms patient care.
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Merisa Case will drive to Portland for three and a half hours from the Oregon Prineville every three or four months to see a orthopedic surgeon for the treatment of arthritis. Classitis is a symptom she believes that it was avoided at this stage of life.
In 2021, Case underwent surgery for a torn meniscus at an orthopedic center in Bend, about an hour from his home. However, the doctor could not make an appointment for follow -up care that would be necessary for appropriate recovery. For a few months after surgery on the half -moon, Cayce continued to make a reservation to the center as his knees worsened, but he did not connect.
Currently, when he takes a break from work and travels to Portland to treat arthritis, he spends up to $ 125 for gasoline. The case said that symptoms such as stiffness, swelling, and discomfort due to lack of medical support after surgery could hinder the ability to enjoy hobbies such as sleep, walking, hiking and gardening.
A 53 -year -old case told Business Insider, “I have to actually experience how hard it is to be able to see a doctor.” Eventually, he will need surgery to completely replace his knee.
The case said that he was still concerned that medical treatment was lacking in the whole area because he was observing his doctor retiring and leaving the area.
Cayse said that some of Cay's family and friends struggled to find a doctor near the house, so they need to drive long distances and wait for reservations.
The March of the U.S. Medical University Association predicted that the United States would face up to 86,000 specialists and primary care doctors in the United States by 2036.
Michael Dill, the group's head of workforce research, said the estimates were conservative.
He said to the BI, “This country needs hundreds of thousands of doctors to provide equal treatments, including ethnic minorities, people without medical insurance, and people living in rural areas. he said.
According to the BI of public health, the aging of the population, the retirement of doctors, and the management problem of the clinic management is one of the shortages, and the elderly, people without transportation. It is said to have a disproportionate impact on vulnerable groups such as people with disabilities.
There are two solutions that can be a solution, which is to increase the medical training programs in rural areas, and to pass a bill to maintain and strengthen your doctor's labor.
Aging population and healthcare worker burnout are contributing to worsening physician shortages
Dr. Bruce Scott, president of the American Medical Association, said the effects of the physician shortage are already being felt.
Dr. Scott says that it has opened in Louisville, Kentucky, but has been waiting for a few months to get a doctor's consultation for hours by car.
Dill said a variety of factors are contributing to the situation, including an aging population.
According to a US -census report, 55.8 million Americans in 2020, 16.8 % of the population, will be over 65, and all baby boomers will reach 65 by 2030. As people get older, they need the services of more doctors, such as to treat heart and neurological conditions, but at the same time doctors are aging and retiring, making the shortage even more acute, Dill said. said.
According to Scott, the burning syndrome of a doctor will further worsen the problem. A survey of more than 12,400 doctors, part of the AMA Organizational Biochemption report, said that 48 % of respondents had burned out. Another survey in the same report said that one in three respondents would retire or reduce working hours within two years.
One AMA survey revealed that the salary was reduced due to an increase in management burden, such as 12 hours a week to fill out the pre -approval application, and that some doctors had left the clinic. Mr. Scott quoted further data compiled by AMA, stating that “2024 med care payments will be reduced by nearly 30 % after inflation adjustment.”
Strategy to alleviate the shortage
Vice President Molly Fox, Vice President of the System Development of Kansas University, said that medical students need to be trained in rural areas to relieve the lack of doctors in rural areas.
“We know that we know that people tend to practice in a place where they feel connected, so we have students participate in rural communities,” Fox said.
For example, KHSU's Kansas College of Osteopathic Medicine allows third- and fourth-year students to complete clinical rotations at St. Catherine's Hospital in Garden City, four hours from Wichita, where the college is located.
Silent -grade Chase Khan said he had seen a doctor working for a 26 -hour change to meet the needs of patients at the hospital.
“I have heard that patients have not been able to take a break from working to move 320 miles to go to obstetrics and gynecology,” said Haran. He added that the training has strengthened its determination to practice in rural areas, but has expected to be expected to be burned out and treatment for patients who cannot receive consistent care.
Dill said that a local resident program was also needed to address the shortage. According to the U.S. National Insurance Inspection, only 2% of the training is being conducted in rural areas.
The training program through the Oregon Health Science University aims to alleviate the shortage of doctors in Central Oregon, including Cru County, where the case lives. This program training doctors in primary care, family childbirth, emergency medical care, behavioral health, and hospital medical fields.
According to RURAL Medical Training Collaborative, 133 home medicine resident and 69 local truck programs are recruiting enrollment in 2025, and 30 internal and 16 psychiatrists are also recruiting.
Some bills have been submitted to Congress to deal with doctors shortage. Regardless of where the doctor is opening a business, Mr. Scott will reduce the management burden to reduce the need for pre -approval, which adjusts med care payments to doctors according to the annual inflation rate. He said that it could be useful.
Some of the bills, if passed, will particularly impact rural areas.
For example, HR 7855, a 2024 regional resident planning and development law approved by the US Medical University Association, will create a local resident planning and development program that provides funds for local training. said. The program enabled the launch of 46 certified rural residency programs in 38 states and Puerto Rico from 2019 to 2024.
Holly Davis Flick, an immigrant lawyer of the Wintersteen Patel Law Group, has a motivation to stay in the United States in the United States, where foreign and advanced medical training in the United States is stayed in parliamentary measures. He said that there was a possibility.
“Many doctors who came here for training and fellowships will return abroad because of the ineffective immigration policy,” said Davis Flick.
If the S 665 (Article 30 of Conrad and the Doctor Access Re -Approval Condition) are passed, the State Health Bureau agreed to treat them in areas where sufficient services in these states are not received. It will be possible to sponsor additional visa exemptions for
Cayse said he was still skeptical about whether or not the law would directly affect his local community, but he was lucky.
“I have the ability to drive a car, have the ability to pay travel expenses, and have the ability to pay doctors outside the network,” said the case. “Not everyone does that.”
