Making a Decision
Introduction
Several research findings suggest that the United States is experiencing a shortage of doctors, not only at present but possibly in the future as well. It is stated that at least thirty three states have assessed the number of physicians they need at present and in the future. Despite the numbers in the doctor workforce improving faster than the increase in population, there is evidence that the numbers of specialists is decreasing, and these include the gastroenterologist, hematologist, surgeons for cardiovascular diseases, and specialized physicians for communicable diseases. In addition, some states in the country are far behind in the education and training of doctors. The state authorities must implement cooperation in improving the medical education and training for physicians because they might never have an adequate supply of doctors. The malpractice and liability in medical procedures encourage individuals and state residents to leave (AAMC 2012).
Factors in the Shortage of Active Physician in the Workforce
According to the AAMC, estimates of the characteristic and size of the physician workforce in 2013 indicate that there are 767, 100 physicians who are still under 75 years of age and who had finished their graduate studies for medical education. On the other hand, the doctors who are aged 65 to 75 comprise 10 percent of the active physicians in the workforce, and these health professionals are already within the age of traditional retirement. Furthermore, 26 percent of physicians aged between 55 and 64 are still active in the workforce; however, majority of them will most likely to retire in the next decade. As a result, it is inevitable that more physicians will retire in the next 10 years. The AAMC conducted an annual report on the factors that affect the number of physicians in the United States and which lead to the decrease in these numbers.
The patterns in the hours worked are taken into account in order to estimate the number of physicians who are still active in the workforce. This pattern includes the differences in sex, age, specialty, and average working hours of a physician every week. The female physicians work five hours fewer compared to male physicians upon reaching the age of 54. However, among those aged 55 and above, the female physicians work for about one to two hours fewer than their male counterparts of the same specialty and age. The male physicians’ weekly working hours remain constant until they reach the age of 59. However, this decreases beyond the age of 60 and especially after the age of 65.
Mortality rate also plays a significant role in the shortage of physicians in healthcare facilities. These rates are considered for individuals in the healthcare profession, and findings show that there is a lower rate of mortality among physicians aged 65 in relation to the average mortality rate in the nation. It is calculated that the mortality rate of male physicians is 25 percent lower than the average mortality rate for men in the country. Likewise, the mortality rate of female physicians is 15 percent lower than the average mortality rate of women in the country. On the other hand, the patterns of workforce attrition for female and male physicians are expected to remain in the workforce based on an initial group of 100 doctors where the male and female physicians are similar in specialty, but with some minor differences.
In addition, the physicians that are working in the emergency department have a much higher rate of attrition. Supply projections show that the supply of physicians will decrease as a result of younger physicians having reduced average hours for patient care in relation to the recent pattern or because of the physicians beginning to retire early (HIS Inc. 2015).
Visual Aids
Mortality Rate of Men
Source: HIS, Inc. 2015
Mortality Rate of Women
Source: HIS, Inc. 2015
Working Hours of Physician per Week
Source: AMA Wire 2015
Proposed Solution for Shortage of Doctors
Research findings show that there will be a shortage of doctors in the year 2025. Majority of the physicians who have completed their graduate studies for medical education are under the age of 75. In addition, female physicians’ working hours are much lower compared to their male counterparts who have a similar specialty. This is because male physicians’ working hours remain the same until they reach the age of 59. The mortality rate of male physicians is 25 percent lower than the national average for men, and the mortality rate of female physicians is 15 percent lower than the national average for women.
Another reason for the shortage of health professionals is that some physicians retire early and some younger physicians reduce their average working hours. In addition, some of the physicians lack sufficient training and education, which leads to malpractice and insufficient knowledge about medical procedures.
The proposed solution for the organization with regards to the shortage of doctors is to provide training for the newly hired health professionals in the organization and to collaborate with other relevant institutions that also center on providing health care services. In addition, the organization should implement programs and seminars for the medical staff and the physicians in order to improve the patient’s satisfaction level and to develop knowledge on health care services. If the organization will collaborate with similar institutions, they may be able to overcome the shortage of doctors and other medical personnel.
References
AAMC. (2012). Recent Studies and Reports on Physician Shortages in the US [PDF Document].
Retrieved from AAMC website: https://www.aamc.org/download/100598/data/
IHS Inc. (2015). The Complexities of Physician Supply and Demand: Projections from 2013 to
2025 [PDF Document]. Retrieved from AAMC website: https://www.aamc.org/download/426242/data/ihsreportdownload.pdf?cm_mmc=AAMC-_-ScientificAffairs-_-PDF-_-ihsreport
