The Implausible Manifestation Of A Physician Shortage

In a New York Times consider slice Scott Gottlieb, MD joins forces amongst Ezekiel Emanuel, MD to inform us all that “No, There Won’t Be a Doctor Shortage”, together with only to clarify, Dr. Gottlieb goes on to tell inwards a subsequent Census Bureau, Massachusetts has nearly double the national average pose out of doctors per population, together with past times the authors ain admission, its “experience may differ from other areas”. Looking at Mississippi, for example, would bring been a stretch I suppose. Either way, policy makers should live on all set, since the alone house where doctors appear to live on growing on ruby trees is our nation’s capital. Other than that, the New York Times article contains the park innovative fare, beingness repeated straightaway inwards most health tending journals over together with over again. The hereafter holds marvelous technology scientific discipline advances that volition minimize duration, complexity together with intensity of treatments together with non-physicians of all stripes volition live on delivering most of this straightaway routine tending (one interesting proposition was that pharmacists should deliver urgent care). The top dog thought is that instead of “expanding our Dr. pool, nosotros should focus on increasing the productivity of existing physicians together with other wellness tending workers”.

Increasing worker productivity is where America’s exceptionalism genuinely shines. Labor productivity (i.e. the ratio of output to input) has increased inwards the USA past times medically pamper “Internet moguls”, or move on to practise medicine on TV or at the New York Times, you lot are inwards the same boat every bit the McDonald's workers straightaway rioting inwards the streets, perchance inwards a much nicer cabin (for now), but same boat nevertheless. Something to ponder upon…

Update 12/11/2013: For a fleck different, but to a greater extent than authoritative perspective, run into Prof. Casey B. Mulligan's Economix article today.