Future trends for maldistribution of Healthcare

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Hello,

you have asked for an outlook on the future trends for geographic maldistribution of health care services in the United States.

Since you have not specified which health care services, I have selected the service that is most in demand, that of Physicians.

The following information was taken from the Physician's News Digest, in an article published by Wendy Abdo & Mike Broxterman, June 2004

Over the past 20 years, physicians generally have not had any difficulty in finding desirable employment. However, during the next several years, there will be important trends in the medical industry that will affect the careers and future earning power of most physicians practicing in the United States. Consequently, it will be important to keep these trends in mind before entering the job market in order to maximize your fullest potential.

A physician's purchasing power is dictated by such things as the supply of physicians in the industry, early retirement and its effects on the job market, the increased need for health care services, compensation and malpractice trends, increased volume of patients needing care, and the immigration issues surrounding foreign doctors. Additionally, the geographical region you practice in will also make a substantial impact on your purchasing power. By reviewing each trend, you can keep abreast of all issues affecting the medical industry.

Overall Growth of Physician Employment

According to the U. S. Department of Labor, in 2000, there were approximately 598,000 physician jobs in the United States. Seventy percent of these jobs were office-based practices and 20 percent were hospitals-based positions. The rest worked in government positions for such agencies as veterans' hospitals and public health services. Their projections indicate that overall physician employment is expected to grow about 10 to 20 percent by 2010.

Early Retirement

According to the American Medical Association's statistics, 38 percent of physicians in the United States are 50 years of age or older. Many of these physicians opt for early retirement. The primary reason for early retirement is frustration due to managed care ...