Friday, August 14, 2015

5 Things You Should Know About The Physician Shortage

The whispers, rumors, and warnings are true - the United States is facing a physician shortage like we have never seen before. Healthcare facilities around the nation are finding themselves increasingly understaffed, making it challenging to provide optimum care to their patients. As the demand for medical care continues to rise, the physician shortage is putting a major strain on hospitals all around the U.S. 

Hospital directors and medical recruiters alike have their work cut out for them if they are to keep their facilities afloat during the physician shortage. Proper planning and prevention are critical. In order to prepare your facility for success in light of these dwindling numbers, it is crucial that you thoroughly educate yourself on the subject. The Hire Connection is here to help you out with this list of five things every medical professional needs to know about the physician shortage.


1. It's NOT A Problem For The Distant Future.
The physician shortage is happening now. The AAMC predicts that the U.S. will be short approximately 46,000-90,000 physicians by 2025, but hospitals are already feeling the strain of not having enough physicians on staff. If you want to protect your facility from the negative effects of this looming shortage, it is critical that you begin taking action now.

2. There Is No "Quick Fix."
The impending shortage is the result of long-time trends. As the quality of our healthcare services has increased, our population has increased along with our average life expectancy. The number of American retirees is rising at a rapid rate, and the amount of new and aspiring physicians cannot keep up with the demand. Because this problem has been a long time in the making, there is reason to believe that it will take several years for this issue to be resolved.

3. Medical Schools Aren't Helping Things.
Medical schools are often very competitive - in fact, Becker's Hospital Review cites that the average acceptance rate for medical school is only at 44.5%. Even for those students who are accepted, successfully completing medical school typically takes a minimum of ten or eleven years. The low acceptance rate and the significant amount of time it takes to finish medical school makes it next to impossible for incoming physicians to offset the upcoming shortage.

4. An Increasing Number Of Young Doctors Regret Their Decision To Enter The Medical Field.
Between exhaustive work schedules and overwhelming student debt, there a lot of daunting prospects facing young doctors. Some surveys have revealed that more and more young doctors are regretting their career choices - and some are taking it one step further by actually discouraging others from pursuing medical school in the first place. The only way to reverse this trend will be for healthcare facilities to improve their physicians' quality of life by reducing the number of hours they work and improving their benefits.

5. If You Want Your Hospital To Succeed, You Have To Stay Ahead Of Your Competition.
With the demand for qualified, high-quality physicians increasingly outweighing the demand, staying ahead of your competition is crucial for the success of your healthcare facility. You can attract great physicians to your opportunity by offering unbeatable compensation packages, a generous signing bonus, and flexible workweeks.

For other ideas about recruiting qualified physicians or for help designing eye-catching benefits packages, contact The Hire Connection. Our experienced medical recruiting company can help your facility succeed! Give us a call to learn more.



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