As the U.S. population ages, the healthcare system will need more qualified physicians working in various specialties. Unfortunately, it looks like the number of physicians will increasingly fall short of the industry’s needs. According to the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), the healthcare system will need 1,027,220 physicians. It will only have 919,370, a 107,850 physician shortfall. The problem will worsen over the upcoming decade. By 2036, the healthcare system will need 1,109,680 physicians but will only have 969,740, a 139,940 physician shortfall.
Knowing that the worsening physician shortage will contribute to a healthcare crisis, medical professionals and administrators must start thinking about how they will address these problems.
Understanding the Scope of the Shortage
About two out of five practicing doctors will reach retirement age (65 or older) within the next decade. Given that the COVID-19 pandemic pushed the physician burnout rate to 63%, the highest ever recorded, it’s safe to say that many of those professionals will retire as soon as they can. That will leave a large gap that puts patients in danger.
Where a person lives will partially determine whether they can access services. Currently, about 20% of the U.S. population lives in rural areas. Only 10% of physicians live in those areas, though. That means a sizable percentage of the population either doesn’t get important healthcare services or has to commute long distances.
Factors Contributing to the Physician Shortage
The physician shortage didn’t happen unexpectedly. There are predictable reasons for it to happen. Some of the most influential factors contributing to the shortage include:
- An aging workforce with a high number of professionals eager to retire
- Limited openings at medical schools and residency programs
- Long hours that contribute to burnout (nearly a quarter of doctors work 61 to 80 hours per week)
Rural areas suffer because most physicians prefer living and working in more populated places, where they can get paid more, send their children to prestigious schools, and enjoy recreational activities during their free time.
The Role Advanced Practice Providers (APPs) Can Play
APPs, such as nurse practitioners and physician assistants, can fulfill some of the tasks traditionally performed by physicians. Routine health examinations, for example, probably don’t require a doctor’s expertise. Instead, doctors can specialize in specific areas while APPs handle common healthcare services.
While this approach could help fill the physician gap, it could create some problems for patients with unique health issues. Instead of asking APPs to work independently, they should contribute to medical teams that include general practitioners, specialists, and managers.
Potential Solutions and Strategies for the Physician Shortage
Solving the physician shortage requires a multi-pronged approach that creates more doctors, encourages them to work in rural areas, prevents burnout, and adopts technologies that make each physician more productive.
Increase Medical School Enrollment and Residency Positions
Part of the problem is that medical schools don’t have enough teachers to educate the number of people interested in becoming physicians. Even qualified applicants get turned away because schools don’t have enough resources to educate them.
Solving this part of the problem will likely require significant public and private investments. Federal and state governments need to increase funding to public universities, particularly those with healthcare programs. An influx of money would make it possible for schools to update their facilities and handle more students.
More students, however, doesn’t mean schools will have more teachers. They can potentially recruit some educators from the pool of retiring physicians who don’t want to practice anymore but would like to remain active in the industry.
Schools can also embrace digital technology to increase the student-to-teacher ratio. For example, recorded lectures distributed online could replace in-person lectures, giving teachers more time to work one-on-one with students.
Recruit and Incentivize Physicians to Work in Underserved Areas
Since the country needs more doctors in underserved areas, the healthcare industry needs innovative incentives that will attract physicians to where they’re needed most. Options might include:
- Tuition repayment for new physicians willing to work in rural areas for a certain number of years
- Visa waivers that attract physicians from other countries
- Recruitment processes that begin during early education and emphasize the importance of working in underserved areas
Create More Well-Being Programs to Reduce Burnout
Many physicians have physically and emotionally challenging jobs that leave them exhausted. Working in an emergency room likely means repeated exposure to traumatizing situations. Eventually, physicians can become more than “burned out.” They can develop advanced post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) that interferes with every aspect of their lives.
The American Medical Association (AMA) provides several strategies designed to promote physician well-being. Healthcare systems need to integrate those programs into their compensation packages to keep physicians healthy, retain talent, and improve patient outcomes.
Enhance the Roles of Technology and Telemedicine to Optimize Care Delivery
More healthcare providers started offering telehealth services during the COVID pandemic to meet patient needs without risking exposure to the virus. Now that more patients and organizations have gotten comfortable with the technology, it’s time to broaden its scope.
Telemedicine and the Internet of Things (IoT) technologies have already improved healthcare access and patient outcomes. The Center for Telehealth at Mass General Brigham currently uses telestroke and teleneurology programs to connect specialists with patients in underserved communities. No one has to spend hours traveling for healthcare services. Instead, physicians can monitor patients remotely and communicate with them digitally.
Expanding this approach into more areas of healthcare would ease everyone’s burden.
Keep Up With Emerging Trends in Healthcare
The physician shortage has the potential to harm everyone. Without enough doctors, people living in the U.S. won’t have access to essential services. Luckily, there are potential solutions to the problem, but they will require innovative thinking and significant investments.
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