Finding solutions to Iowa’s physician shortage crisis:
Iowa Medical Society to convene physician and healthcare leaders from across the state to form recommendations
DES MOINES, IA – Like many rural states, Iowa is facing a physician workforce shortage crisis like never before. Iowa is ranked 44th in the nation for patient-to-physician ratio per 100,000 population (that’s 30 percent worse than the national average). To address the shortage and develop priorities, the Iowa Medical Society (IMS) will host more than 55 physician leaders from across the state to roll up their sleeves, discuss the problem areas, and end the day with action-oriented solutions to offset the labor shortage. Operation I.O.W.A. (Innovative Opportunities for Workforce Action) will take place Friday, December 6 at IMS headquarters, 515 East Locust, Des Moines.
“Every single Iowan, regardless of their address, deserves access to healthcare, and we're committed to making that possible by increasing the number of physicians practicing here,” said Christina Taylor, MD, IMS president. “We are convening some of our most trusted colleagues to think through what we can do as an organization to develop tangible action steps to help solve the physician shortage.”
According to the Association of American Medical Colleges, there was a shortage of about 46,000 doctors in the U.S. in 2021. By 2034, that number is expected to climb as high as 124,000, according to the American Medical Association, and up to 48,000 of those will be primary care physicians. This creates significant challenges for providing quality healthcare to patients, large amounts of stress for providers, and greater workloads resulting in burnout.
“As a smaller community, we are feeling the effects of the physician shortage first-hand,” said Michael McCoy, MD, Great River Health, West Burlington. “IMS is leading the charge to get creative and come up with solutions we can all incorporate into our communities.”
In 2023, Iowa had a 75% adequacy rate for healthcare workforce supply versus demand. This rate is estimated to decrease to 71% in 2036 based on projections made by the U.S. Health Resources & Services Administration. Indicative of the crisis in Iowa, this data exemplifies why IMS is committed to alleviating the issue.
“This is one issue where Republicans and Democrats, rural and urban communities, can all agree that we need to come together and develop solutions,” said Gerard Clancy, MD, University of Iowa Health Care, Iowa City. “As the leading voice in medicine to make Iowa a premier destination for physicians to live, work, and serve their communities, IMS is ideally positioned to bring this issue to the forefront.”
Media availability:
Media are welcome to attend the opening session and take video/pictures from 9-9:30 a.m. Friday, December 6. Following the event at 3 p.m., Dr. Taylor and Operation I.O.W.A. co-chairs, Gerry Clancy, MD, and Mike McCoy, MD, will be available for interviews. Please contact Sara Opie to attend or schedule interviews.
About us:
The Iowa Medical Society, established in 1850, is the largest and oldest statewide professional association for physicians, representing more than 5,000 members. We work to advance the practice of medicine through advocacy, education, and engagement with physicians throughout Iowa to ensure the highest quality of care for the patients they serve. Visit our website at iowamedical.org.
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