Idaho ranked as the state with the fewest orthopedic surgeons per capita in 2023, with only 1.55 orthopedic surgeons per 100,000 people.
At the same time, Idaho has an aging population. According to data from the American Association of Retired Persons, Idaho's population of people 65 and older has increased by 56% over the last 10 years, and 20% of the population will be older than 65 by 2026. Aging populations result in a higher demand for healthcare services, particularly in rural areas, and the state has a projected shortage of 5,090 orthopedic surgeons by 2025, according to a 2019 report by AMN Healthcare.
Idaho also had no top-ranked hospitals for orthopedic surgery in 2024 despite fast-growing populations in the state's urban areas.
The process of opening an orthopedic practice or ASC in the state may also be easier in Idaho than in other states, as Idaho is one of only 12 states with no certificate-of-need laws.
Some data may point to early signs of growth. While the number of female orthopedic surgeons is highly disproportionate to the number of male ones, Idaho had the highest density growth of female orthopedic surgeons in the nation, alongside Hawaii and Maine, according to an analysis published in April by the Journal of the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgery's Global Research & Reviews. According to the analysis, this spike in the density of female orthopedic surgeons in the state could be promising early results of mentorship programs and pipeline initiatives such as Nth Dimensions, the J Robert Gladden Society, the Perry Initiative and the Ruth Jackson Society.