New research published in Health Affairs challenges the idea that the U.S. is suffering from a physician shortage. Instead, the authors conclude, the problem has to do with efficiency. Authors David Goodman and Wenner argue that physicians can and should be used more effectively, contradicting calls by groups like the American Medical Association and the Association of American Medical Colleges who have called for an increase in the number of medical students. The study looked at Medicare data for end-of-life care for patients at leading academic medical centers, finding wide variations in the rates of physician labor used over the last six months of life. The most efficient were the Medical College of Georgia and the Mayo Clinic.
- read this article from Forbes
- see this abstract from Health Affairs