Figures show that while the physician workforce has expanded by roughly 110,000 physicians since 2000, the number of independent providers has dropped by at least 18 percent in that same timeframe. Physicians were defined as independent if they owned at least part of a practice.

2000
Practicing physicians: 682,470
Percent independent: 57 percent
Estimated number of independent physicians: 389,008

2001
Practicing physicians: 690,369
Percent independent: 55 percent
Estimated number of independent physicians: 381,228

2002
Practicing physicians: 698,359
Percent independent: 53 percent
Estimated number of independent physicians: 373,603

2003
Practicing physicians: 706,441
Percent independent: 52 percent
Estimated number of independent physicians: 366,131

2004
Practicing physicians: 714,617
Percent independent: 50 percent
Estimated number of independent physicians: 358,809

2005
Practicing physicians: 722,888
Percent independent: 49 percent
Estimated number of independent physicians: 351,632

2006
Practicing physicians: 731,254
Percent independent: 47 percent
Estimated number of independent physicians: 344,600

2007
Practicing physicians: 739,718
Percent independent: 46 percent
Estimated number of independent physicians: 337,708

2008
Practicing physicians: 748,279
Percent independent: 44 percent
Estimated number of independent physicians: 330,954

2009
Practicing physicians: 756,939
Percent independent: 43 percent
Estimated number of independent physicians: 324,334

2010
Practicing physicians: 765,700
Percent independent: 42 percent
Estimated number of independent physicians: 317,848

2011
Practicing physicians: 774,562
Percent independent: 41 percent
Estimated number of independent physicians: 313,703

2012
Practicing physicians: 783,526
Percent independent: 39 percent
Estimated number of independent physicians: 305,575

2013 (Projected)
Practicing physicians: 792,594
Percent independent: 36 percent
Estimated number of independent physicians: 289,127

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