According to research by Hospitals & Health Networks, physicians are in high demand by hospitals but supply is faltering and a grim scenario is imagined for 2025.
Here's what you should know.
1. In 2014, 249,000 physicians were employed by hospitals, and in 2016, that number increased to 540,000. Despite that, projections for 2025 estimate a shortage of 46,100 to 90,400 physicians.
2. That number breaks down further to hospitals needing between 12,500 to 21,100 more primary care physicians and 28,000 to 63,700 more non-primary care physicians.
3. The physician shortage will be greatest experienced in the surgical specialty fields, not including obstetrics or gynecology.
4. Limited growth is projected for surgeons or the limitations on the ability to supplement staff with other clinicians.
5. Despite payment models for Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act set to begin in 2017, and fee-for-service payments freezing in 2019, physician awareness of MACRA is limited.
Hospitals will need to develop governance models to adjust to "data sharing across the care continuum and performance measurement."
6. Leadership programs are developing across the field.
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