Like other areas of medicine, rheumatology is facing a significant workforce shortage. As documented in a recently published study by the ACR, the demand for rheumatology clinical services is expected to exceed the supply of rheumatology providers by 2030.1 Without a concerted effort to explore ways to retain rheumatology providers in the workforce, this imbalance…
In 2005, a workforce study conducted by the ACR projected a shortage of 2,500 rheumatologists by 2025.1 This resulted in an increase in the number of rheumatology fellows trained and the development of online training programs for nurse practitioners and physician assistants in rheumatology. In 2014, Daniel Battafarano, DO, MACP, was a member of the…
In the U.S., the demand for rheumatologists has outpaced the supply of physicians. So how do private practices attract new physicians, and how are practices with physician vacancies managing?
Many rheumatology patients have complex conditions and require the added expertise of colleagues in other fields, such as pulmonology, neurology or dermatology. This is even more true when patients with complex care issues are referred to academic medical centers. At such centers, patients often travel hours for an appointment and see more than one provider….
If you had asked Ray Waldrup in 1981 what he would be doing in 2018, serving as the CEO of the largest rheumatology practice in the U.S. would probably not have been his first guess. Back then, as a young college student in Georgia, Mr. Waldrup took a job at a national jewelry retailer and…
In 2005, an ACR Workforce Study estimated the adult rheumatology workforce to be 4,946 providers and projected growth of only 1.2% by 2025, resulting in a projected deficit of 2,576 rheumatologists considering the estimated need. According to the 2015 Workforce Study, between 2005 and 2015, the percentage of internal medicine residents entering rheumatology has remained…
The Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) makes recommendations to Congress on Medicare policy including physician payments and patient access issues. These recommendations can directly impact rheumatology care coverage and rheumatologist reimbursement. Representatives of the ACR and partners recently met with new MedPAC Executive Director James E. Mathews, PhD, to discuss appropriate recognition of rheumatology care…
According to the “2015 American College of Rheumatology Workforce Study: Supply and Demand Projections of Adult Rheumatology Workforce, 2015–2030,” the demand for rheumatologic care is projected to exceed supply of clinical adult rheumatology providers by 4,133 clinical FTEs by 2030. The research now being published estimates the baseline adult rheumatology workforce, as well as determined demographic and geographic factors relevant to the workforce. The research also highlights the need for innovative regional strategies to manage future access to and reduce barriers to care for rheumatology patients in underserved regions…
As the shortage of rheumatologists is expected to worsen, practices and fellowship programs are asking how to attract top talent. Here are tips for how individuals can raise rheumatology’s profile and reach out to med students and new rheumatologists…
(Reuters Health)—A growing number of patients are seeking care from rheumatologists for chronic health problems like arthritis, back pain and osteoporosis, just as the supply of specialists is shrinking, two new studies suggest. An estimated 6,013 clinicians in the U.S. specialized in rheumatology as of 2015, the equivalent of 5,415 full-time providers, according to one…