Wisconsin doctor shortage getting worse, report says
Wisconsin faces a severe shortage of physicians that will only get worse as time goes on unless changes are made in training and retaining doctors, according to a report released today by the Wisconsin Council on Medical Education and Workforce.
The report shows a shortage of 374 primary care physicians in 31 counties in Wisconsin, including a shortage of 20 primary care physicians just in Milwaukee's inner city.
"Primary care doctors have several key roles in health care," said council chair Dr. Carl Getto. "They are the point of contact for people with undiagnosed health concerns, and they help patients navigate the health care system when they need on-going care or a referral to a specialist."
Getto is senior vice president of medical affairs and associate dean for hospital affairs at the University of Wisconsin Hospitals and Clinics.
The report entitled "Who Will Care For Our Patients?" showed the greatest increase in demand for physicians is in three specialties: family practice, internal medicine and the hospitalist, an expert in providing hospital-based care.
The Wisconsin Medical Society conducted a survey of 19 chief medical officers in the state. The survey showed 63 percent said a shortage of physicians is requiring the CMOs to alter how they deliver services, 53 percent said patient wait times have lengthened, 26 percent said they are limiting acceptance of new patients, and 60 percent said they've added advanced practice providers such as nurse practitioners and physician assistants to leverage physician services.
The shortage is being driven by two key factors, a stagnant graduation rate from Wisconsin's two medical schools and the aging of the population.
The report said 336 medical students have graduated each year the past six years on average at the UW School of Medicine and Public Health and the Medical College of Wisconsin -- a number that hasn't really changed much in the past two decades -- and only 38 percent of the graduates stay and practice medicine in the state.
Wisconsin Hospital Association Senior Vice President George Quinn, author of the report, said the number of residents over the age of 75 will increase 68 percent from 2006 to 2030, while the number of people between 65 and 74 will increase 94 percent.
"No single factor will impact our health care delivery system as much as the aging of our population," Quinn said. "Older people require more health care, and we're expecting our graying demographics to drive up the number of physician office visits by 65 percent from 2006 through 2030."
With demand for physicians growing 30 percent the next 10 years and expected to double in 20 years with the supply only growing by 13 percent in 10 years and 20 percent by 2030, the council made several recommendations to avoid the crisis, including enrolling students in medical schools who will practice in Wisconsin, develop new care delivery models, attract and keep physicians here, and enhance funding for medical education.
"This is a concerning and sobering report," said Dr. Tim Bartholow, senior vice president of the Wisconsin Medical Society. "The health of our citizens is tied in part to our ability to access health care, plain and simple."
A copy of the report is available at www.wha.org.
Wisconsin State Journal file photo
Dr. Cate Ranheim, a hospitalist, visits patient Peter Goodrich earlier this year. A new report says the state is facing a severe shortage of physicians.
