The demand for both primary and specialty care physicians will exceed the number of such physicians available to meet those needs by 2025, according to a new Health Affairs study.
The U.S. Census Bureau projects that the U.S. population will increase by 9.5% between 2013 and 2025, while the Congressional Budget Office estimates that 28 million more U.S. residents will have health insurance by 2023.
Researchers used a computer model to examine the future demand for primary care physicians and specialists. They found that the demand for PCPs will increase by 14% by 2025 while the demand for cardiologists will increase by 20% and the demand for vascular surgeons will grow by 31%. The study also found that demand will vary by state. For example, demand for cardiologists will rise by 51% in Nevada, but by only 5% in West Virginia.
