Which states have the most doctor shortages?

Asked by: Mr. Adolph Ullrich I  |  Last update: October 10, 2023
Score: 5/5 (62 votes)

California, Florida and Texas are the three states expected to have the greatest estimated physician shortage by 2030, according to the U.S. National Institutes of Health's Library of Medicine.

What states have the highest doctor shortage?

Ten states predicted to have the greatest shortages of physicians by 2030:
  • California — 32,669.
  • Florida — 21,978.
  • Texas — 20,420.
  • Arizona — 8,280.
  • Georgia — 8,012.
  • North Carolina — 7,725.
  • Illinois — 6,203.
  • Washington — 6,037.

What state has the least amount of doctors?

The state with the most active physicians per resident is Massachusetts, while Idaho is the state with the least.

Where is there a shortage of physicians?

Across the country, and the Central Coast, there is a worsening physician shortage. In California, only about half, or 49.09%, of the state's primary care needs were met in 2022, according to data from the Kaiser Family Foundation.

Is there a shortage of doctors in the USA?

The short answer is yes. Currently, more than 83 million people in the US live in areas in which access to a primary care physician is scarce. According to data from the AAMC, the United States could see an estimated shortage of up to 124,000 physicians across all specialties by 2034.

Why Does America Have So Few Doctors?

29 related questions found

Where are doctors needed most in the US?

The top 10 states with the highest demand for healthcare professionals in 2022
  • Pennsylvania.
  • Illinois. ...
  • Wisconsin. ...
  • Florida. ...
  • Indiana. ...
  • North Carolina. ...
  • Texas. ...
  • Arizona. Nearly three million of Arizona's seven million residents have limited access to primary care doctors, with the biggest shortage in rural areas. ...

Where are doctors most in demand?

Top 7 In-Demand Physician Specialists
  1. Primary care physicians: Primary care physicians specialize in family medicine, internal medicine, geriatrics and pediatrics and are often the first point of contact for patients. ...
  2. Internal medicine. ...
  3. Emergency medicine. ...
  4. Psychiatry. ...
  5. Gynecology. ...
  6. Neurology. ...
  7. Radiology.

What is the largest physician shortage?

Neurology and psychiatry, as well as pulmonary and critical-care medicine, are headed for larger shortfalls than some other specialties, which is in part related to the type of complex, chronic conditions America's aging population must manage. However, primary care is the largest area of concern.

Why is it so hard to see a doctor now?

As doctors retire and hospitals expand their capacity, wait times and demands for current providers have only increased. Not only is the supply of healthcare providers decreasing, but demand is increasing.

Why is it so hard to find a doctor?

Fewer practitioners means more difficulty finding one to help you, or making an appointment with the one you already see. You can see that the smaller numbers of primary care doctors would have an impact on your ability to find one for your care.

What states pay doctors best?

It's the nation's capital, Washington, D.C., according to the report "2020's Best and Worst States for Doctors." After Mississippi, the other four best states when it comes to wages are: South Dakota, Indiana, Wisconsin and Iowa.

What state is easiest to become a doctor?

Below are three U.S. States that grant medical licenses the quickest:
  • New York. Employment, malpractice, privileges, and medical licenses are not verified in New York, making it one of the fastest states to get medical licenses. ...
  • Indiana. ...
  • Michigan. ...
  • Massachusetts. ...
  • Texas. ...
  • New Jersey.

Why are doctors leaving Illinois?

the study showed that 70% of new physicians leaving Illinois did so due to fears of medical malpractice liability in Illinois.

What state pays the highest in healthcare?

Here's the lowdown on the top 10 highest paying states for physicians according to Medscape's 2022 compensation report.
  • Texas. ...
  • Connecticut. ...
  • North Carolina. ...
  • Indiana. ...
  • Oregon. ...
  • Missouri. ...
  • Alabama. Did you know Alabama has a wildlife safari park? ...
  • Kentucky. in Kentucky, doctors earn an average of $364,000 a year, same as in Tennessee.

What is the wait time for doctors in the US?

That year, the national average wait to get in to see a new physician was 21 days, an unacceptable amount of time to wait to access care. But that number has only gotten worse. In their 2022 survey, the wait for a new patient appointment increased to an average of 26 days.

Why are doctors so rushed?

The average primary care doctor manages between 1,500 and 2,300 patients, depending on the practice. So the access to your doctor is often one reason appointment slots must be shorter. The more patients a doctor is responsible for, the fewer time he or she can spend with each individual patient.

Is the demand for doctors increasing or decreasing?

California faces a statewide shortfall for primary care providers: Mid-range forecasts indicate the state would need about 4,700 additional primary care clinicians in 2025 and about 4,100 additional primary care clinicians in 2030 to meet demand.

What is the future of doctors in the US?

The U.S. faces a projected shortage of between 37,800 and 124,000 physicians within 12 years, according to The Complexities of Physician Supply and Demand: Projections From 2019 to 2034 (PDF), a report released by the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC).

Is there a physician vs nurse shortage?

The country faces a shortage of up to 124,000 physicians by 2034, including 48,000 primary care physicians, according to the Association of American Medical Colleges. Hospitals are currently facing shortages of registered nurses as burnout and other factors drive them to other roles.

Does Florida have a physician shortage?

In Florida, there are 58,822 active physicians, or 270.1 for every 100,000 people, the 25th fewest among states. Other than a low supply of doctors, lack of health insurance can be another barrier to accessing care.

Who is lowest paid doctor?

Pediatric Infectious Disease

Number one on the list of low-paying specialties is pediatric infectious disease, where doctors earn an average of $210,844 per year.

Who is the highest paid doctor?

Neurosurgeons are the highest paid physician specialists, earning an average of $788,313 annually, according to Doximity's "2023 Physician Compensation Report." The results were drawn from survey responses from 190,000 physicians over the last six years, including 31,000 in 2022.

Where do the highest paid doctors live?

Surprisingly, Luxembourg is considered the most lucrative country for doctors around the world. Luxembourg is a small country in Western Europe, its population is around 632000. Luxembourg is among the top 10 countries that offer high quality of life around the world.

Which city has best doctors in us?

The 10 Cities With The Highest-Rated Doctors
  • Boston, Massachusetts.
  • Seattle, Washington.
  • St. Louis, Missouri.
  • San Diego, California.
  • Chicago, Illinois.
  • San Francisco, California.
  • Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
  • Los Angeles, California.