MHA Press Room

Study: Not enough doctors for the aging

The number of medical students choosing geriatrics is going down at the same time the number of seniors is going up, a new U.S. study says.

By the year 2030, an estimated 70 million Americans will be older than 65, but in the last decade the number of certified doctors specializing in treating older patients has declined from 8,800 to 7,100, according to a study released April 5 by researchers at the University of Cincinnati.

New geriatricians are also not forthcoming, the researchers said. From 1999 to 2006, the percentage of medical students entering family medicine, which includes geriatrics as a subspecialty, dropped 6.3 percent.

In addition, only two-thirds of geriatric fellowship positions were filled last year, the study found.

Doctors in other specialties who sometimes treat aging patients also said their training was inadequate.

The primary reason, according to the authors, is money. In 2006, the average student debt of a new doctor was $113,000. The relatively low salaries for geriatric specialists combined with the additional years of schooling required are discouraging medical students from pursing the field.

[ via United Press International ]

Study: MDs' pay increased in 2005

According to the American Medical Group Association's (AMGA) 2006 Medical Group Compensation & Financial Survey, 89 percent of specialists saw an average six percent rise in compensation in 2005. The three specialties that led the pack for compensation increases were dermatology (12 percent), cardiac/thoracic surgery (11.5 percent), and gastroenterology (11.6 percent). Primary care docs also enjoyed a slightly higher than average increase of 8 percent. In addition, hematology/oncology increased only 3.2 percent after several years of strong growth.

"The survey indicates that compensation increases reflect the rise in the cost of living," Donald W. Fisher, Ph.D., president and CEO of the AMGA, said in a press release. "However, declining reimbursements, competition for specialists, the cost of new technology, and other factors are having a negative effect on revenues in most parts of the country, a situation that is clearly unsustainable."

For the details, see the AMGA press release.

Finding the Right Doctor for You

An article by John Fuquay in The Clarion-Ledger had some facts and figures that might help others trying to write a similar story...

- Mississippi has more than 8,300 physicians licensed to practice in the state. The Mississippi State Medical Association offers the public access to the "nation's most comprehensive and unbiased physician database" with information on more than 650,000 doctors nationwide.

- The article references a list provided by the Healthcare Advocacy Group of questions to ask when selecting a doctor.

- The Mississippi State Board of Medical Licensure can tell people if the board has taken any action against a physician and if they are in good standing.