Physician Shortage Requires Multi-Prong Solution | AJMC

Executive Professor of Organizational Theory and Management and Academic Director of the Pepperdine Graziadio MS in Organization Development program Gary L. Mangiofico, PhD, pens an op-ed for the American Journal of Managed Care (AJMC). In it, he posits that Medicare's refusal to expand physician education funding will increase an already-growing staffing shortage in healthcare. Dr. Mangiofico claims this potential physician shortage requires a multi-prong solution, and funding from both public and private sectors.

Dr. Mangiofico cites U.S. Census Bureau data and a Merritt Hawkins whitepaper as support. These sources indicate an aging patient population of baby boomers will have medical needs that an aging physician population might not be able to meet. While an increase in medical school enrollment is a positive, a cap on Medicare support disrupts residency training. Dr. Mangiofico includes physician extenders (physician assistants), as well as telehealth and telemedicine as key components of the potential solution.