Iowa Physician Shortage Facts
Physician supply lags behind patient demand nationally and across Iowa. 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.
- Nearly 40% of American physicians will reach retirement age.
- The United States will face a shortage of over 120,000 physicians.
- 31.9% of Iowa physicians are within retirement range right now.
Iowa is projected to be short 1,660 doctors.
- Primary care alone is projected to be short 19 providers.
Overall, Iowa ranks in the bottom half of states for primary care and physician availability.
65 of Iowa’s 99 counties are health professional shortage areas (HPSAs).
- 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.
Iowa’s physician-to-patient ratio is 30 percent worse than the national average.
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