Doctor shortage in isles forecast to become worse
Star-Adv April 19, 2013: More Hawaii doctors have left their practices over the past year and likely will continue to do so just as the first major piece of federal health reforms rolls out.
More than 60 doctors left the market within a year, shrinking the workforce by 2 percent after two years of growth, according to preliminary data from the Hawaii/Pacific Basin Area Health Education Center.
The latest estimate places the shortage at 747 doctors this year and nearly 1,500 by 2020. A year ago the shortage was estimated at around 600, based on statewide supply and demand figures. The data will be presented at the 2013 Hawaii Health Workforce Summit on Saturday at Hilton Hawaiian Village.
"It alarms me because in 2020 we could have 40 percent fewer physicians than we need," said center Director Kelley Withy. "There are many changes coming to medicine that some physicians might not like. They will in time help, but if someone is close to retirement, they might not want to invest in the necessary changes such as electronic health records."
Under the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, the most significant changes of which take effect in January, doctors will face penalties, including reductions in already low Medicare reimbursements, if they do not use electronic medical records and electronic prescribing in their practices.
Penalties start at a 1 percent Medicare payment reduction to as much as 5 percent over the next few years, she said.
Withy, a supporter of health reform, also known as Obamacare, recently stopped practicing medicine after working as a family physician for more than 20 years.
"In part it's the hassles of practicing medicine in the current times," she said. "There's more paperwork, electronic requirements and changing in the rules. There's more audits now. Things are always changing, and it's so hard to keep up with."
(She can describe the failure of the system while still supporting it. Wow.)
read ... Doctor shortage in isles forecast to become worse
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Medical school researchers report physician workforce shortage worsening
Statewide need for care growing while doctor deficit becomes more acute
News Release from University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa April 19, 2013
Researchers at the John A. Burns School of Medicine (JABSOM), University of Hawai`i Mānoa have found the MD shortage statewide is worsening. The state of Hawaii is an estimated 747 physicians short of the number we should have currently treating patients, based on Hawai`i’s population. There are currently 2,894 physicians practicing in Hawai`i. One third of them are 55 or older, approaching retirement. The shortage of 747 MDs statewide is expected to increase to a deficit of 1,448 physicians by 2020, only seven years from now. Hawai`i’s population as a whole is aging at one of the highest rates in the nation, which means the doctor deficit is increasing at the same time that patients’ need for health care from age-related illnesses will become more acute.
A growing problem
The latest estimated supply and shortage numbers, by county:
- O`ahu’s 2013 supply: 2,127 MDs; Current need/demand is 2,494
- Hawai`i’s 2013 supply is 336 MDs; Current need/demand is 530
- Kaua`i’s 2013 supply is 130 MDs; Current need/demand is 199
- Maui’s 2013 supply is 301 MDs; Current need/demand is 418
“A local solution is the only answer”
“The University of Hawai`i medical school is overwhelmingly the major source of physicians for our state, both through our education of MD students (90% of whom are Hawai`i residents) and our Hawai`i Residency Programs, which oversees training of more than 240 MDs while they work to obtain licensure or board certification,” said Dr. Jerris Hedges, JABSOM Dean. “These MDs in Residency and Fellowship training are actually employed at our partner health care training institutions helping to treat patients."
“Meeting the crisis in the Hawai`i health care workforce is going to have to be a local solution,” explained Dr. Hedges. “We are grateful for the foresight of Hawai`i’s leaders who nearly 50 years ago established Hawai`i’s medical school and continue to support us. Their leadership in this area is a daily source of inspiration to many of us.”
About the Workforce Assessment:
The Hawai`i Physician Workforce Assessment, supported by the Hawai`i State Legislature, surveys doctors at the time of each physician’s licensure (every 2 years) and is funded by a $60 fee attached to that license. The assessment reports annually to the Legislature about where physicians are practicing, what their specialty and age is, and whether they accept Medicare and Medicaid patients. The project this year launched an on-line database to advertise physician openings in Hawai`i, at MD JOBS IN HAWAI`I.
The workforce team, JABSOM’s AREA HEALTH EDUCATION CENTER (AHEC) also launched the State’s first-ever Education Loan Repayment Program last year, helping MDs, nurse practitioners and other health care providers repay their educational loans if they commit to serve at least two years treating patients in a rural setting (where health care workforce shortages are acute). Funded by the U.S. Affordable Care Act and gifts from The Queen’s Medical Center, HMSA and Aloha Care, the Loan Repayment Program is also being considered by lawmakers this session for some state funding, which would allow it to attract and retain more health care workers.
Third Annual Physician Shortage Conference
A conference sponsored by JABSOM’s Physician Workforce Assessment team on Saturday, April 20, at the Hilton Hawaiian Village, will emphasize how Hawai`i can maximize the benefits of changes created by the Affordable Care Act and how we can make Hawai`i an ideal place to practice medicine. Topics will include the Patient Centered Medical Home, care coordination, telemedicine, and working as part of an interprofessional medical care team. In addition, the team is providing education on local payment reforms and the new Medical Inquiry and Conciliation Panel.
The keynote speakers are Dr. Len Nichols of the Center for Health Policy Research and Ethics, and Carl W. Taylor, Executive Director Fraser Institute for Health Research. Other topics will be: Addressing Interprofessional Teamwork Models that work, Telehealth solutions for Hawai`i, Hawai`i Specific Solutions to Improve Your Bottom Line and Medical Malpractice Changes in Hawai`i – Demystifying the Medical Inquiry and Conciliation Panel Experience.
The Hawai`i Consortium for Continuing Medical Education (HCCME) is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing medical Education (ACCME) to provide continuing Medical education for physicians.