Lack of primary care docs a big problem

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) - A nationwide healthcare problem is becoming critical in Indiana; it's a shortage of primary care doctors.

Some Indiana University Med School administrators are actually travelling the state on Wednesday. Its part of their campaign to recruit more students to become primary care doctors who are dwindling in numbers, something IU's Dr. Deborah Allen knows all too well.

Dr. Allen said, "To get into my practice as a new patient you have to wait weeks to get in. That's a patient's problem not mine, but looking down into the future, you have to look at the patients and are they gonna be able to get in to see a primary care doctor?"

The American Association of Medical Colleges said the United States population has grown by roughly 75 million since 1980 and baby boomers alone will grow by more than 70 million come 2030. However, the doctor population is only 744,000 and about a third of doctors will retire within 20 years. Some also argue that many medical students aren't choosing family medicine, choosing instead specialties that pay more and offer more personal freedom.

"It is a reimbursement issue in that they're the lowest paid of all the specialty groups, but it is I think with this group of younger physicians, it's definitely more of a lifestyle issue for them," said Dr. Allen

The issue is also critical in Indiana where 54% of all counties are medically underserved. By 2020, they estimate the state will be short 2,000 primary care doctors.

Extending healthcare to 40 million underserved Americans will likely intensify the problem. IU's Medical School is part of a big student recruiting effort statewide.

"We have asked for $5 million from the state legislature to expand the class. In some other states, they are starting new medical schools, and they have to ask for much more money," said IU Medical School Assistant Dean Dr. Paula Wales.

The AAMC is calling for a 30% boost in med-school enrollment by the 2015. They hope the campaign will create an additional 5,000 new doctors a year.