Quality

Making Pennsylvania More Physician Friendly and Why It's Important

Pennsylvania must be able to attract and retain more doctors. Our state already has some physician shortages, especially in family practice, internal medicine, obstetrics/gynecology, general surgery, orthopedic surgery, radiology, cardiology, emergency medicine, and pediatrics.

Many factors have led to a nationwide need for more doctors. These include:

1. America's growing and aging population. The U.S. population is expected to grow by more than 50 million between 2006 and 2025. At the same time, the number of older Americans who need more health care is expected to double between 2000 and 2030. Pennsylvania has the second oldest population in the nation.
2. Health care reform's goal of expanding coverage for the uninsured also will create the need for more doctors, especially primary care physicians needed to provide increased wellness and preventative care services.
3. Physicians' life style changes--today's young doctors want more balance between work and career.
4. Advances in medical technology have added to the need for physicians to make use of new diagnostic and treatment tools sought after by patients.
5. Managed care insurance, an innovation intended to reduce the need for physicians, has increased their administrative duties and created the need for more doctors.

According to the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC), the U.S. is expected to face a shortage of more than 125,000 physicians by 2025. Health care reform could increase the need for doctors by as much as 25 percent. Although more young people are becoming doctors, the AAMC in 2006 called for a 30 percent increase in medical school enrollment by 2015.

Fortunately, Pennsylvania has many medical schools and residency programs. Our state ranks fifth in the nation in terms of the concentration of medical school students, and fourth in terms of doctors in accredited residencies and fellowships.

Unfortunately, Pennsylvania's difficult medical liability environment is hurting our ability to attract doctors to the state and retain the young doctors who train here. While doctors' liability insurance costs have stabilized, premiums remain double what they were, on average, in 2000.

As a result, Pennsylvania's residency retention rate has dropped from 60 percent in 1992 to about 20 percent in 2006. The average age of Pennsylvania's physicians has risen to nearly 50 years. Almost one of every four doctors in active practice is over 60. Many doctors say they have plans to leave the state or retire early.

The Impact on Hospitals

Physician shortages could ultimately mean that hospitals could have difficulty in providing the services their patients need. The Pennsylvania hospital community has already taken some steps to address this issue. To help physicians with their medical liability costs, hospitals are hiring physicians and assuming the financial burden of their insurance premiums.

Next Steps (and how you can help)

The Hospital & Healthsystem Association of Pennsylvania (HAP) is working with the Pennsylvania Medical Society and others to develop incentives to encourage more young doctors to settle here and put down roots in our communities. Subscribe to this newsletter now so you continue to receive information about these new initiatives. In the coming year, HAP will be asking your help in advocating for legislative solutions to Pennsylvania's growing physician shortage.