Georgia, Nation Impacted by National Medical Trends

National Trend Bodes Ill for U.S. Medicine  by Kevin Hall.  The Moultrie Observer.  June 4, 2011.

While Colquitt County in south Georgia has a grip on short-term physician supply, it, along with the rest of the nation have not confronted the looming physician shortages over the next 10 years.  This shortage results from

(1)  Increasing population up to 357 million by 2025.

(2)  Aging population which uses physicians at a much higher rate than younger individuals

(3)  Increased coverage under health reform

(4)  Retirement of doctors:  250,000 or the nation's 800,000 doctors will retire in the next 10 years

In Georgia the critical issue is residency opportunities.  In 2007 70% of Medical College of Georgia graduates did their residency out of state.  In 2010 the figure had risen to 80%.  Graduate medical education is generally funded under the Medicaid program and limited to 100,000 slots in which Georgia is underrepresented.  To deal with this issue in South Georgia, four hospitals are creating a consortium to eventually provide residencies to 160 a year by 2020.

The Board for Physician Workforce is the organization charged with advising the Georgia Governor and General Assembly or physician workforce and medical policy issues.