Question

What can be Done to Fix the Predicted U.S. Doctor Shortage?

Is there a shortage of physicians overall, or only in key areas (both geographically and by specialty)?

What are the key barriers to increasing the number of physicians (consider primary care and specialty physicians)?

What policies might be used to address these issues?

What can hospitals do to recruit and retain physicians? Consider recruitment tactics that are not misguiding (for example avoid tactics such as - new construction, new vision)

What impact does physician-hospital integration and alignment have on the physician shortage?

What impact does international medical programs have on the physician shortage?

Given the layered aspects of the physician shortage and the understanding that filling this gap reaches beyond the medical schools, what are some alternative strategies?

Answer 1

Question 1: What can be Done to Fix the Predicted U.S. Doctor Shortage?

Answer: Multiple approaches will be necessary to address the pending shortage. Following are some examples:

Attract Residents to Underserved Areas

Embracing Physician Extenders

Let nurse practitioners work independently

Substantially reduce the bureaucracy involved in the practice

Drastically expand the number of residency slots

There is another solution as there are thousands of foreign medical graduates and US citizens who are ECFMG certified after completing all the USMLE examinations. These physicians cannot make into residency due to a number of reasons beyond their control. They can be part of our physician workforce.

Question 2: Is there a shortage of physicians overall, or only in key areas (both geographically and by specialty)?

Answer: Yes, there is a shortage overall as suggested by many studies. However, some smaller specialties have not diffused to the most rural areas. disparities in geographic access to physicians is also becoming a growing concern.

Question 3: What are the key barriers to increasing the number of physicians (consider primary care and specialty physicians)?

Answer: Some of the key barriers are as follows:

rapid rise in medical education debt

decreased income potential for primary care physicians

increased administrative hassles

excessive regulatory burdens

dissatisfaction with the current practice environment

Question 4: What policies might be used to address these issues?

Answer: development of a national health care workforce policy by the federal government is the need of the hour. This national health care workforce policy should particularly focus and support to educate and train a supply of health professionals that meets the nation’s health care needs.

Other strategies to address the physician shortage are as follows:

• Increase Interest in the Field

·Establish Centers of Excellence

·Integrate Environmental Medicine with Occupational Medicine Training and Research Programs

·Increase Funding for Faculty Development

·Support Residency and Fellowship Training