BY: Dr. Jay Feldstein and U.S. Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick in Modern Healthcare

Dr. Jay Feldstein is president and CEO of Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine. He is also a board member of the Hospital and Healthsystem Association of Pennsylvania. U.S. Rep Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.) serves on the House Ways and Means Committee and co-chairs the bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus.

The U.S. is facing a dire shortage of physicians, especially in primary care and some of the most critically needed specialties. The statistics are daunting, with the Association of American Medical Colleges projecting a deficit of 37,800 to 124,000 physicians over the next decade.

Many Americans are already feeling the effects of this shortage. It now takes an average of 20 days to get an appointment with a family medicine physician and 31 days to see an OB-GYN. Patients are tired of waiting. Providers are tired too, with more than half reporting burnout. 

These aren’t just inconveniences. Physician shortages make healthcare less accessible, less effective and often more costly. If we fail to act, these trends will only worsen. But ways exist to avert this crisis and make improvements for patients and providers alike...

Read the rest of the op-ed in Modern Healthcare here.