Disappearing doctors; Making a personal healthcare plan
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Dr. Diana Macian, for WellcomeMD Naples
Published in Napes Daily News - January 10, 2022
[Excerpt]
Going to the doctor can be a time-consuming hassle, depending on several different factors. You may wait to get an appointment, to be seen, to get tests and then you can wait – often anxiously – for the results. You may even need to wait in order to find any family doctor at all. Both nationally and here in Southwest Florida, this is likely the result of a growing shortage of doctors and nurses.
The national health care staffing crisis is well known. Within the next two years, consulting firm McKinsey and Co. projects a gap of 200,000 to 450,000 registered nurses and 50,000 to 80,000 doctors, and family practices are likely to be hit the hardest.
"If you live in Southwest Florida, you are likely already aware that we have a physician shortage," Dr. Rebekah Bernard, a Fort Myers family practitioner, has written – and I concur. New residents seeking a primary care doctor are often out of luck here. Many practices, even membership or "concierge" practices like mine, are full, though some availability remains at my Naples office, because I'm a more recent arrival.
In 2019, according to Dr. Bernard, Florida was short nearly 4,000 physicians. By 2035, this physician shortage is expected to reach 18,000 because of our growing and aging population along with retiring physicians. Florida is also suffering from a significant nursing shortage. Job placement data show that as of last April 30, there were more than 20,000 vacant nurse positions, and the trend continues. The Florida Hospital Association says the turnover rate for nurses in Florida has been 25% over the last year and we will need 4,000 more nurses each year for the next decade to reach the required demand.
Perhaps you're making plans for family care for yourself and your family. Know that we in Naples are not exempt from the larger picture: by 2035 there will be more seniors 65 and older than children younger than 18 across the U.S.
Our older patients see physicians at three to four times the rate of younger people and need more tests, procedures and surgeries. Many active licensed physicians are over 60. And nationally, more than a third of physicians aged 46 and older told survey researchers that they would like to retire within the next year.
Sadly, COVID and the overall staffing shortage are also causing a spike in burnout rates of physicians and nurses, who may leave the profession or cut back their hours. Nearly half of U.S. nurses and physicians report that they plan to leave their positions within two to three years.
But there's hope, even in the short term, for improvement in the quality of medical attention you're getting. In a world of hard-to-get health care, shifting the focus to preventative care is key. Right now, it is important to secure a doctor who has the time and tools to provide personalized care to help you achieve optimal health.
Dr. Diana Macian is board certified in Emergency Medicine and has treated a wide range of medical issues, from a bad cough to cardiac arrest and stroke. Before joining WellcomeMD, Dr. Macian worked in the Emergency Department at Naples Community Hospital on the frontline throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.
She attended medical school at the Uniformed Services University of Health Science and completed her residency at the Portsmouth Naval Medical Center. While serving throughout the Iraq and Afghanistan conflict, she developed a passion for veterans’ healthcare issues and providing outstanding medical services to those who have served our country.
