U.S. Lacks Doctors to Care for Seniors
Specialists More Skillful at Caring for Elderly and Frail
April, 27, 2004 -- The U.S. does not have enough geriatric specialists to treat its rapidly aging population, according to a report released by a physicians' group Tuesday.
The report warns that the nation's 7,600 geriatric specialists make up only about one-third of the number needed to provide care to the elderly now. Those requirements are expected to become dire as the baby boom generation begins to retire later this decade, leading to an expected doubling of the aged population by 2050.
In fact, the number has declined steadily since the mid 1990s, when about 9,200 doctors were certified to deliver specialized care to the elderly, according to the report.
Experts speaking to reporters blamed low Medicare payments and a widespread lack of enthusiasm among young doctors who can make far better livings in other areas of medicine.
"The result is that we can't even replace people who are retiring," says Greg Warshaw, MD, director of geriatric medicine at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine. The 127 geriatric medicine programs at U.S. medical schools are relatively poorly attended and produce only 250-300 new specialists each year, says Warshaw, a past president of the American Geriatric Society, which produced Tuesday's report.
Internists and family doctors care for the majority of elderly patients and bill Medicare for their services. Geriatric experts argue that specialized care is needed for about 15% of older patients. Those are patients with multiple illnesses who may be taking 12 or more different medications and who often receive unnecessary or risky treatments ordered by doctors unaware of risks in frail patients. -->
"We can't take care of all the older people in this country," says Meghan Gerety, MD, a professor of medicine and a geriatrician at the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio. "We are never going to be taking care of all 15% of those people."
The report points to a shortage of specialists who teach at medical schools, where future primary care doctors can learn the basics of caring for complex elderly patients. Currently, schools have little incentive to fund training in geriatric medicine when other specialties are in higher demand by doctors, Warshaw says.
U.S. Lacks Doctors to Care for Seniors
Specialists More Skillful at Caring for Elderly and Frail
April, 27, 2004 -- The U.S. does not have enough geriatric specialists to treat its rapidly aging population, according to a report released by a physicians' group Tuesday.
The report warns that the nation's 7,600 geriatric specialists make up only about one-third of the number needed to provide care to the elderly now. Those requirements are expected to become dire as the baby boom generation begins to retire later this decade, leading to an expected doubling of the aged population by 2050.
In fact, the number has declined steadily since the mid 1990s, when about 9,200 doctors were certified to deliver specialized care to the elderly, according to the report.
Experts speaking to reporters blamed low Medicare payments and a widespread lack of enthusiasm among young doctors who can make far better livings in other areas of medicine.
"The result is that we can't even replace people who are retiring," says Greg Warshaw, MD, director of geriatric medicine at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine. The 127 geriatric medicine programs at U.S. medical schools are relatively poorly attended and produce only 250-300 new specialists each year, says Warshaw, a past president of the American Geriatric Society, which produced Tuesday's report.
Internists and family doctors care for the majority of elderly patients and bill Medicare for their services. Geriatric experts argue that specialized care is needed for about 15% of older patients. Those are patients with multiple illnesses who may be taking 12 or more different medications and who often receive unnecessary or risky treatments ordered by doctors unaware of risks in frail patients. -->
"We can't take care of all the older people in this country," says Meghan Gerety, MD, a professor of medicine and a geriatrician at the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio. "We are never going to be taking care of all 15% of those people."
The report points to a shortage of specialists who teach at medical schools, where future primary care doctors can learn the basics of caring for complex elderly patients. Currently, schools have little incentive to fund training in geriatric medicine when other specialties are in higher demand by doctors, Warshaw says.
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