The Physician Shortage: Projections, Causes, and Solutions
4. Provider burnout and turnover: Burnout among physicians was labeled a public health crisis by the Harvard H.T. Chan School of Public Health prior to COVID-19. Physician burnout, turnover and vacancies were further driven by the pandemic. According to a McKinsey & Company study, approximately 35% of physicians indicate they are likely to leave their current roles in the next five years, of which approximately 60% say they are likely to leave clinical practice entirely. This exodus will not be confined to physicians of retirement age. Of those surveyed who say they are likely to leave, 59% of those 54 to 64 indicate that early retirement or leaving care delivery is their most likely next step. ( The Physician Shortage Isn’t Going Anywhere. McKinsey & Company, Sept 10, 2024) Turnover already is a primary reason why hospitals, medical groups and other healthcare facilities are recruiting physicians. According to the Association for Advancing Physician and Provider Recruitment’s (AAPPR) 2023 Benchmarking Report, 44% of physician searches conducted in 2022 were to replace physicians who had left their place of employment. 5. Pervasive ill-health: Six in 10 U.S. adults have a chronic medical condition such as diabetes or lung disease, while 4 in 10 have two or more, according to the CDC. The widespread incidence of poor health in adult and pediatric populations continues to drive demand for both primary care physicians, who often manage the care of patients with multiple chronic conditions, and specialists, who treat patients with specific chronic and acute maladies.
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