Arizona Physician Shortage Facts
THE PROBLEM
Physician supply lags patient demand nationally and across Arizona. As supply falls, patients wait longer to see a doctor, and doctors burn out.
By 2030:
The U.S. is projected to have 120,000 too few doctors nationally.1,2,3
- Nearly 40% of American physicians will reach retirement age.
- The United States will face a shortage of over 120,000 physicians.
- 34.3% of Arizona’s physicians are within retirement range right now.
Arizona is projected to be short 8,280 doctors.2,4
- Primary care alone is projected to be short 1,941 providers.
Overall, Arizona ranks in the bottom half of states for primary care and physician supply availability.4
Every county in Arizona is a partial health professional shortage area (HPSAs).5,6
- Low-income citizens are disproportionately affected by these shortages.
- HPSA designations indicate areas where there are 3,500 or more patients for every one provider.
Arizona’s physician-to-patient ratio is 15 percent worse than the national average.
22% worse
for cardiovascular disease
16% worse
for family medicine
28% worse
for geriatric medicine
29% worse
in pediatrics
26% worse
in psychiatry
Pennsylvania Physician Shortage Facts