Study: 1,000 physicians needed in N.Y. State

Healthcare facilities in Western and upstate New York are facing a shortage of physicians, and it’s particularly challenging to recruit primary care physicians (PCP), according to a survey by the Hospital Association of New York State (HANYS). The survey reports that 123 more physicians in the region retired or moved than began practicing last year. Hospitals also told HANYS that they have openings for 21 PCPs on their staffs.

The HANYS 2013 Physician Advocacy Survey, based on responses from healthcare facilities across the state excluding New York City, found that hospitals and health systems statewide need more than 1,000 additional physicians—26% of them PCPs. The authors recommend boosting telemedicine initiatives, which would allow specialists to serve patients in remote areas; and offering incentives to physicians who agree to pursue less-lucrative specialties, such as primary care, or to practice in underserved areas of the state.

Source: The Buffalo News