Michigan Faces Physician Shortfall, Survey Finds

Main Category: Primary Care / General Practice
Article Date: 04 Apr 2008 - 10:00 PDT

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Forty-one percent of Michigan's 40,000 licensed physicians do not plan to continue practicing medicine 10 years from now, and 61% said that their practices are full or almost full, according to a survey by the Michigan Department of Community Health, the Detroit Free Press reports. As a result, patients might experience longer wait times to see certain types of specialists, including endocrinologists, orthopedic surgeons and child psychiatrists. The report also found that Medicaid beneficiaries and out-of-state residents will face shortages because too many physicians are concentrated in some areas of the state and too few are in other areas.

The survey found that:

• 36% of physicians were employed outside the state or did not practice medicine;
  
  
• 62% of doctors practiced medicine, with 36% in primary care and the rest as specialists; and
  
  
• About 75% of physicians accept Medicaid beneficiaries, but they spent less than 15% of their time with such patients (Anstett, Detroit Free Press, 4/2).

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