A new report suggests that Michigan will need more family physicians in coming years.
For generations, the family doctor has been an iconic image of care and professionalism. For most people, primary care physicians are their first contact with the health care industry...a trusted advisor in the midst of a vast and complex national bureaucracy. It’s long been reported that America is experiencing a shortage of primary care doctors. In Michigan, the issue may not be that simple.
A recent report from the Citizens Research Council of Michigan indicates that while the state has seen an increase in family physicians in the last decade, Michigan may need as much as 12-percent more to meet demand by 2030. Other data suggests there are enough doctors, but they’re spread too thinly over the rural populations that need them most.
Current State speaks with Nicole Bradshaw, a research associate at the Citizens Research Council of Michigan who helped write the report.