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Physician shortage hurts state hospitals
Keri Wabrowetz
Issue date: 11/17/08 Section: News
Health care in Wisconsin is experiencing a shortage of primary care physicians, specifically in both inner-city and rural areas, according to a report released Nov. 10 by the Wisconsin Council on Medical Education and Workforce. This shortage could send patients seeking alternatives to primary care.
The shortage has come about from an uneven distribution of physicians in Wisconsin, with surpluses in urban areas and shortcomings in rural areas, according to the report. There is an overall shortfall of 374 primary care physicians in Wisconsin and 20 alone in the inner city Milwaukee area.
Mary Kay Grasmick, vice president of communications at the Wisconsin Hospital Association, said another problem with the shortage is that a primary care physician carries a significant workload as the first point of contact for a patient.
"If a person needs more specialized care the primary care physician coordinates it," Grasmick said. "They are the backbone of the system."
Job dissatisfaction could be another culprit behind the shortage. Long hours, more patients and having to be on-call characterize a career in primary care, Grasmick said, adding that supply and demand factors make a difference too.
"Demand is going way up as people are getting older and seeking more services," she said, adding that the demand for physicians is going up quicker than they can be educated to serve that need.
One strategy to alleviate the workload for a primary care physician is the use of hospitalists. Usually, primary care physicians have to make sure the hospital cares for their patients who had been admitted. Hospitalists can coordinate that care, Grasmick said, keeping the primary care physician in the clinic and able to see more patients.
Recruiting new physicians is high on the list of ways to address the shortage. All hospitals and clinics in the state are listing open positions at wisconsinphysiciancareers.org, Grasmick said, adding there are over 600 positions currently listed.
The shortage has come about from an uneven distribution of physicians in Wisconsin, with surpluses in urban areas and shortcomings in rural areas, according to the report. There is an overall shortfall of 374 primary care physicians in Wisconsin and 20 alone in the inner city Milwaukee area.
Mary Kay Grasmick, vice president of communications at the Wisconsin Hospital Association, said another problem with the shortage is that a primary care physician carries a significant workload as the first point of contact for a patient.
"If a person needs more specialized care the primary care physician coordinates it," Grasmick said. "They are the backbone of the system."
Job dissatisfaction could be another culprit behind the shortage. Long hours, more patients and having to be on-call characterize a career in primary care, Grasmick said, adding that supply and demand factors make a difference too.
"Demand is going way up as people are getting older and seeking more services," she said, adding that the demand for physicians is going up quicker than they can be educated to serve that need.
One strategy to alleviate the workload for a primary care physician is the use of hospitalists. Usually, primary care physicians have to make sure the hospital cares for their patients who had been admitted. Hospitalists can coordinate that care, Grasmick said, keeping the primary care physician in the clinic and able to see more patients.
Recruiting new physicians is high on the list of ways to address the shortage. All hospitals and clinics in the state are listing open positions at wisconsinphysiciancareers.org, Grasmick said, adding there are over 600 positions currently listed.
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Kathy
posted 11/18/08 @ 12:54 PM CST
People complain all the time about what they believe Doctors make. They don't think of the fact that they spend 4 years in college-have to graduate with very high marks in order to get into medical school which will probably cost at least 300,000-go thru the grueling 4 years in medical school-a couple of more years if they want to specialize and to top it off spend,I believe a couple more years doing their residency for peanuts and very little sleep. (Continued…)
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