Feb. 13, 2012
Effort urged to retain doctors in New Jersey
January 27, 2010By WILFORD S. SHAMLIN, Courier Post
Courier-Post Staff
Unless a coordinated effort gets under way soon, New Jersey may face a shortage of doctors as soon as 2012, a panel of health experts said Tuesday."
Access (to health care) is going to be challenged," said Deborah Briggs of the New Jersey Council of Teaching Hospitals.
On Tuesday, a council task force projected a shortfall of some 2,800 doctors statewide by 2020 -- "a 12 percent gap in physician supply versus the likely population demand for services."
It said the state will be short about 1,000 primary care physicians and 1,800 specialists. Among other effects, that could mean longer waits in emergency rooms and for patients who need specialized care.
The task force also identified a current shortfall "within primary care specialties, including family medicine, geriatrics, general surgery and obstetrics. Within nonprimary care specialties, neurosurgery and pediatric sub-specialities have serious shortages."The panel's two-year study of New Jersey's medical work force was released at a press conference at Cooper University Hospital.
It said malpractice lawsuits and a hostile work environment for doctors may be key reasons why the Garden State loses some of its most promising medical school graduates. It also said the supply problem could be made more critical by the high number of doctors expected to retire over the next decade.
The study found that medical school graduates who leave New Jersey for fellowships and residency training rarely return here for jobs. The council called for more publicly funded initiatives that could keep top talent from leaving.
Council members said New Jersey has a reputation for being one of the worst places for doctors. Problem areas include business taxes and regulatory expenses, as well the state's high cost of living, said Briggs, the council's vice president of health policy and advocacy.
She cited Texas as a model because officials there streamlined regulations, passed tort reform and required insurers to pay doctors promptly.
The task force also presented a seven-point plan aimed at improving recruitment and retention of New Jersey medical school graduates.
Among other points, it proposed creation of a clearinghouse for data that tracks needs of New Jersey's health care work force based on vacancies in specialized fields and other trends.The Center for Medical and Health Workforce Planning would use the data to establish priorities for funding. It could also monitor specialized fields that might face a shortage.
The council is a network of 10 hospitals, represented in South Jersey by Cooper and the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey.
The study found a projected shortage of doctors specializing in internal medicine, family medicine and general surgery.
South Jersey has large numbers of senior citizens who may find it more difficult to find a doctors specializing in geriatrics, said Dr. Thomas A. Cavalieri, dean of UMDNJ's School of Osteopathic Medicine in Stratford.
John Sheridan, Cooper's president and CEO, said that any coordinated effort should involve teaching hospitals, medical centers, faculty, students and public policymakers.
Other recommendations include identifying and enrolling medical school students who are more likely to practice in New Jersey and offering state tax breaks and other financial incentives for new physicians, plus incentive grants for medical schools and teaching hospitals that retain graduates.
Assemblywoman Pamela R. Lampitt, D-Camden, acknowledged that bringing about regulation changes was a formidable obstacle. But she also said steps must be taken to make medical education more affordable.
Dr. J. Richard Goldstein, the council's president, said a doctor shortage would be "an unacceptable option from a public health perspective and a missed opportunity from an economic perspective. Doctors are an inherent stimulus for our economy."
Staff writer Jim Walsh contributed to this report. Reach Wilford S. Shamlin at (856) 486-2475 or wshamlin@courierpostonline.com
