Missouri Physician Shortage Facts
THE PROBLEM
Physician supply lags patient demand nationally and across Missouri. 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.1,2,4
- Nearly 40% of American physicians will reach retirement age.
- The United States will face a shortage of over 120,000 physicians.
- 32% of Missouri’s physicians are within retirement range right now.
Missouri is projected to be short 3,102 doctors.2,3
- Primary care alone is projected to be short 687 providers.
Overall, Missouri ranks in the bottom half of states for primary care and physician supply availability.4
111 of Missouri’s 114 counties are partial health professional shortage areas (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.
Ranked against other states,
Missouri’s doctor-to-patient ratio is:
13% worse
for emergency medicine
19% worse
for geriatric medicine
21% worse
for Internal medicine
47% worse
for preventative medicine
Louisiana Physician Shortage Facts