U.S. Faces Shortage of Doctors

[Dont Taz Me Bro]

As many of us have said over and over, health care reform was never about lifting the uninsured up to the same level of care as everyone else. It was about dragging the rest of us down in order to accommodate them.

The new federal health-care law has raised the stakes for hospitals and schools already scrambling to train more doctors.

Experts warn there won't be enough doctors to treat the millions of people newly insured under the law. At current graduation and training rates, the nation could face a shortage of as many as 150,000 doctors in the next 15 years, according to the Association of American Medical Colleges.

That shortfall is predicted despite a push by teaching hospitals and medical schools to boost the number of U.S. doctors, which now totals about 954,000.

The greatest demand will be for primary-care physicians. These general practitioners, internists, family physicians and pediatricians will have a larger role under the new law, coordinating care for each patient.

The U.S. has 352,908 primary-care doctors now, and the college association estimates that 45,000 more will be needed by 2020. But the number of medical-school students entering family medicine fell more than a quarter between 2002 and 2007.

A shortage of primary-care and other physicians could mean more-limited access to health care and longer wait times for patients.

U.S. Faces Shortage of Doctors - WSJ.com

Longer wait times for patients. Gee, you don't say. Clearly the authors of this article are just right wing fearmongers who want poor people to die.

 

[Gatekeeper]

In my opinion:

Many doctors are leaving the profession as we speak some are in the process of re-evaluating their futures,

1. Do they want to be regulated beyond reason, unbelievable increase paperwork and monitoring by federal agencies, becoming in a way a federal employee.

2. Take much less remittance for their years of intense study and devotion to their particular discipline from say medicare,medicaid and insurance companies being regulated.

3. Be in the middle of chaotic waiting rooms and offices triggering 'office rage'.

And other 'red tape reasons' that this BILL has in store for everyone. Wait until the rest of this kicks in, then lets hear the proponents cheer about passing too much too soon.
All the projected costs for this 'reform' is just plain bullcrap and smoke and mirrors, one can bet the costs will be maybe double or more after the manipulators and crooks get into the swing of things and cause more chaos.

It's not that we didn't need some kind of reform, it was passed JUST to pass new health care reform and a 'feather in the hat' of Obama and his band of henchmen. It IS trying to implement TOO MUCH TOO FAST, all because of an arrogant president trying to insure that his name is in the "Political Hall of Fame", or will it be SHAME?

 

[saveliberty]

0bama traded our children's futures for some magic beans, which he gave to Pelosi and Reid. Anybody got an ax?

 

[Care4all]

The estimated Doctor shortage that the article mentioned numbers on was from a 2007 study of 2005 figures I believe.....3-5 YEARS BEFORE the Health Care Bill passed and 9 years before health care reform becomes effective in 2014...were there any concerns back in 2005-2007 about the future Doctor shortage?

The Doctors leaving the field were doing so LONG before HCR becomes affective....

The Doctor shortage has been KNOWN since 2000......or before....of course with all the boomers heading to retirement, health care needs of the country would INCREASE.....

The question is, WHAT can we do about it? How can we increase the numbers in medical schools, nursing schools, medical technology schools etc. even MORE?

Where there is a problem, there is a solution....the glass is half full, not half empty folks.

 

[WillowTree]

The estimated Doctor shortage that the article mentioned numbers on was from a 2007 study of 2005 figures I believe.....3-5 YEARS BEFORE the Health Care Bill passed and 9 years before health care reform becomes effective in 2014...were there any concerns back in 2005-2007 about the future Doctor shortage?

The Doctors leaving the field were doing so LONG before HCR becomes affective....

The Doctor shortage has been KNOWN since 2000......or before....of course with all the boomers heading to retirement, health care needs of the country would INCREASE.....

The question is, WHAT can we do about it? How can we increase the numbers in medical schools, nursing schools, medical technology schools etc. even MORE?

Where there is a problem, there is a solution....the glass is half full, not half empty folks.

this regime isn't focused on more doctors and nurses, they are focused on more IRS agents.. so as your democwat congressman idiot moron said "don't get sick, if you do get sick don't get sick." alan garyson.

 

[saveliberty]

Well Care4all, we can lower standards for medical school, so more people can get in. Reducing compensation should motivate many to be more charitable in their career choice. Penalizing people who use the system unnecessarily might help too.

 

[Care4all]

How about we INCREASE the number of medical schools and thus the number of students....

An increased supply of schools SHOULD reduce the cost of medical schools, where bright people who could not afford medical school previously, can now afford it?

In business, an increased supply reduces costs...

I don't think we need to lower our standards for our doctors, I think we need to lower the price to become one...which will increase the demand.

 

[saveliberty]

How about we INCREASE the number of medical schools and thus the number of students....

An increased supply of schools SHOULD reduce the cost of medical schools, where bright people who could not afford medical school previously, can now afford it?

In business, an increased supply reduces costs...

I don't think we need to lower our standards for our doctors, I think we need to lower the price to become one...which will increase the demand.

Pretty sick that you want to increase the demand for doctors. Haven't you heard about wellness practices? See, to me, that would be the smartest thing. Make people more personally responsible for their health. THAT wold be the number one thing to do.

Apparently you think there is some hidden supply of professors for med schools? You should realize that some doctors would quit practicing to become teachers right? Our secondary schools are not turning out quality students. There are limited students available to fill your new schools.

 

[WillowTree]

How about we INCREASE the number of medical schools and thus the number of students....

An increased supply of schools SHOULD reduce the cost of medical schools, where bright people who could not afford medical school previously, can now afford it?

In business, an increased supply reduces costs...

I don't think we need to lower our standards for our doctors, I think we need to lower the price to become one...which will increase the demand.

Pretty sick that you want to increase the demand for doctors. Haven't you heard about wellness practices? See, to me, that would be the smartest thing. Make people more personally responsible for their health. THAT wold be the number one thing to do.

Apparently you think there is some hidden supply of professors for med schools? You should realize that some doctors would quit practicing to become teachers right? Our secondary schools are not turning out quality students. There are limited students available to fill your new schools.

that's the ticket we need new legislation to pass PTFMAT.. then we won't need us no damn doctors.. Personal Traniners For Me And Thee. You like?

 

[Care4all]

How about we INCREASE the number of medical schools and thus the number of students....

An increased supply of schools SHOULD reduce the cost of medical schools, where bright people who could not afford medical school previously, can now afford it?

In business, an increased supply reduces costs...

I don't think we need to lower our standards for our doctors, I think we need to lower the price to become one...which will increase the demand.

Pretty sick that you want to increase the demand for doctors. Haven't you heard about wellness practices? See, to me, that would be the smartest thing. Make people more personally responsible for their health. THAT wold be the number one thing to do.

Apparently you think there is some hidden supply of professors for med schools? You should realize that some doctors would quit practicing to become teachers right? Our secondary schools are not turning out quality students. There are limited students available to fill your new schools.

I'm sorry...I suppose I did not word that correctly.....?

We need to increase doctors, for ALL of the BOOMERS going in to retirement, so on the level of the medical school BUSINESS, we need to increase the supply and demand for doctors, so that they are not indebted for the rest of their lives, due to the high cost of medical schools...which is decreasing the amount of people willing or rather ABLE to make this a career....financial constraints are huge.

The AMA and others, who estimated that by the year 2000 we would have an OVERAGE of doctors, to the tune of 165,000 EXTRA doctors, were just simply WRONG with their estimate and by the year 2000, we supposedly had a 165,000 SHORTAGE instead of overage.....

Now, did the AMA and other groups of Doctors LIMIT the amount of doctors being allowed in to Medical school because they WANTED fewer doctors so that Doctors could be limited in supply and call for a HIGHER price for them....or did they REALLY just miscalculate back in the 80's and 90's with their projected 165,000 doctor OVERAGE?

Who knows?

My guess is that many doctor groups and medical schools WANT to limit doctors so that doctors can get paid more for their services.....

 

[saveliberty]

How about we INCREASE the number of medical schools and thus the number of students....

An increased supply of schools SHOULD reduce the cost of medical schools, where bright people who could not afford medical school previously, can now afford it?

In business, an increased supply reduces costs...

I don't think we need to lower our standards for our doctors, I think we need to lower the price to become one...which will increase the demand.

Pretty sick that you want to increase the demand for doctors. Haven't you heard about wellness practices? See, to me, that would be the smartest thing. Make people more personally responsible for their health. THAT wold be the number one thing to do.

Apparently you think there is some hidden supply of professors for med schools? You should realize that some doctors would quit practicing to become teachers right? Our secondary schools are not turning out quality students. There are limited students available to fill your new schools.

I'm sorry...I suppose I did not word that correctly.....?

We need to increase doctors, for ALL of the BOOMERS going in to retirement, so on the level of the medical school BUSINESS, we need to increase the supply and demand for doctors, so that they are not indebted for the rest of their lives, due to the high cost of medical schools...which is decreasing the amount of people willing or rather ABLE to make this a career....financial constraints are huge.

The AMA and others, who estimated that by the year 2000 we would have an OVERAGE of doctors, to the tune of 165,000 EXTRA doctors, were just simply WRONG with their estimate and by the year 2000, we supposedly had a 165,000 SHORTAGE instead of overage.....

Now, did the AMA and other groups of Doctors LIMIT the amount of doctors being allowed in to Medical school because they WANTED fewer doctors so that Doctors could be limited in supply and call for a HIGHER price for them....or did they REALLY just miscalculate back in the 80's and 90's with their projected 165,000 doctor OVERAGE?

Who knows?

My guess is that many doctor groups and medical schools WANT to limit doctors so that doctors can get paid more for their services.....

I knew what you meant. Sorry, it was too tempting. The AMA and doctors do not run the university medical programs. It seems the schools would be the driving force behind more schools. Here in Michigan, MSU has launched a new med school in Grand Rapids. The government gets involved in these decisions quite a bit too. That is where the AMA comes into play.

In know our local hospital has to apply for a certificate of need for any major piece of equipment or increase in beds. It really causes problems. Also, the reimbursement rates
from Medicare and Medicaid make it tough to have a rural hospital. Everything seems to be driven toward providing services from major population centers.

 

[rdean]

What does the right need doctors for? They have "faith healers".

 

[Modbert]

It's interesting what happens when those who want to become doctors are disheartened due to the back breaking costs of college and med school isn't it?

If you have a system that starts off as only the rich being able to go to college, change it to a system that everyone can enter, and then make it so it's only the rich again, things like this will happen.

Though on a more serious note, these people for the most part already see doctors or people in the emergency room. They just couldn't afford them. And those who didn't go, died.

 

[CMike]

It's really simple when the government keeps something (in this case the pay for doctors) below market value they will create a shortage.

 

[rdean]

It's really simple when the government keeps something (in this case the pay for doctors) below market value they will create a shortage.

That money has to go to insurance companies. They decide who lives and who dies. Death panels are expensive.

 

[Care4all]

Pretty sick that you want to increase the demand for doctors. Haven't you heard about wellness practices? See, to me, that would be the smartest thing. Make people more personally responsible for their health. THAT wold be the number one thing to do.

Apparently you think there is some hidden supply of professors for med schools? You should realize that some doctors would quit practicing to become teachers right? Our secondary schools are not turning out quality students. There are limited students available to fill your new schools.

I'm sorry...I suppose I did not word that correctly.....?

We need to increase doctors, for ALL of the BOOMERS going in to retirement, so on the level of the medical school BUSINESS, we need to increase the supply and demand for doctors, so that they are not indebted for the rest of their lives, due to the high cost of medical schools...which is decreasing the amount of people willing or rather ABLE to make this a career....financial constraints are huge.

The AMA and others, who estimated that by the year 2000 we would have an OVERAGE of doctors, to the tune of 165,000 EXTRA doctors, were just simply WRONG with their estimate and by the year 2000, we supposedly had a 165,000 SHORTAGE instead of overage.....

Now, did the AMA and other groups of Doctors LIMIT the amount of doctors being allowed in to Medical school because they WANTED fewer doctors so that Doctors could be limited in supply and call for a HIGHER price for them....or did they REALLY just miscalculate back in the 80's and 90's with their projected 165,000 doctor OVERAGE?

Who knows?

My guess is that many doctor groups and medical schools WANT to limit doctors so that doctors can get paid more for their services.....

I knew what you meant. Sorry, it was too tempting. The AMA and doctors do not run the university medical programs. It seems the schools would be the driving force behind more schools. Here in Michigan, MSU has launched a new med school in Grand Rapids. The government gets involved in these decisions quite a bit too. That is where the AMA comes into play.

In know our local hospital has to apply for a certificate of need for any major piece of equipment or increase in beds. It really causes problems. Also, the reimbursement rates
from Medicare and Medicaid make it tough to have a rural hospital. Everything seems to be driven toward providing services from major population centers.

Looks like the Government was MUCH MORE involved in this than I had originally thought...

Doctor Shortage Predicted for Aging Baby-Boomers

The current doctor shortage that is facing the United States is expected to get worse before it gets better, according to a recent article in USA Today. Several new studies have shown that the shortage will worsen as 79 million baby boomers reach retirement age and demand more medical care unless the nation starts producing more doctors.



The predictions for a doctor shortage seem to come as a surprise to the medical profession. For the past 25 years, the American Medical Association (AMA) and other industry groups have predicted an excess of doctors and worked to limit the number of new physicians. In 1994, the Journal of the American Medical Association predicted a surplus of 165,000 doctors by 2000. However, the AMA has abandoned its position that a surplus exists or is expected in the near future.


Congress controls the supply of physicians by how much federal funding it provides for medical residencies. In 1997, to save money and prevent a doctor overflow, Congress capped the number of residents that Medicare will pay for at about 80,000 a year. Veterans Administration and Medicaid finance another 20,000 residents. Teaching hospitals pay for a small number of residents without government assistance.



Medicare estimates show that the portion of U.S. income spent on health care rose from 8.8% in 1980 to 15.4% in 2004 and will reach 18.7% in 2014, indicating a need for more physicians. The retirement of baby boom physicians means the number of doctors will start falling just as the first baby boomer turns 70 in 2016, according to a study by the Association of American Medical Colleges.Doctor Shortage Predicted for Aging Baby-Boomers - April 2005

 

[Care4all]

the insurance companies are taking 25-30% of the health care industry PROFITS....they are merely paper pushers, and provide NO MEDICAL CARE....

IF we CAN BE TRUTHFUL about this...it would be a step in the RIGHT direction in my humble opinion...but NO ONE seems to want to admit to this....insurance companies, who did not have to spend 12 years of their life in school and residency/training, get a third of the profit that should be going towards the Doctor's pay.

 

[NO!bama08]

Great news! Now that we're treating all the crack-ho's, drug dealers, illegal aliens, and people who just generally refuse to get off their ass, there won't be enough doctors to see all of us that have worked all our lives. Thank you idiot liberals.

 

[Care4all]

Great news! Now that we're treating all the crack-ho's, drug dealers, illegal aliens, and people who just generally refuse to get off their ass, there won't be enough doctors to see all of us that have worked all our lives. Thank you idiot liberals.

Great Melodrama!

But utterly ridiculous argument.

crack ho's drug dealers illegal aliens ALREADY can acquire medical care through emergency rooms and those that are citizens probably get it through MEDICAID.....

Boomers are who will be visiting and utilizing the Doctors THE MOST under all stats....

Just because you have health insurance, Does NOT mean that you are automatically sick, and use it....sicknesses, primarily plague people when they are old.

Most people paying for health insurance, do not use it other than for yearly check ups....imo. Most people on medicare, DO USE IT, because they are sickly and have to.

Our problem with doctor shortages comes from Boomer Doctors retiring and the Boomer citizens hitting old age, nearly all at once...and the poor planning in the medical industry on estimated future doctors needed, as I have SHOWN, in previous articles.

 

[saveliberty]

Care4all, seriously, the number one thing we can do to help with this is take responsibility for our own health by better diet and exercise. Making ourselves healthier is probably the most immediate and long lasting impact on costs.