The Iowa Medical Society said the state faces a "workforce crisis" in healthcare, reported radio station KIWA Sept. 17.
"We actually have a very looming physician shortage, and it's a real issue," said IMS President Christina Taylor, MD. "We're concerned about the ability to maintain proper access for Iowans."
According to Dr. Taylor, Iowa currently has 5,778 practicing physicians in the state, down from 5,900 last year. According to data from the American Medical Association, 97 of Iowa's 99 counties are classified as health professional shortage areas. The state also ranks 45th in the AMA's ranking of states' physician-to-patient ratios.
Gerard Clancy, MD, a clinical professor of psychiatry and emergency medicine, said that the problem could get worse as the number of retiring physicians is misaligned with the number of physicians entering the workforce.
"It's a complex issue—we have a terrible mismatch of demand for healthcare versus the supply of all of our healthcare workers, including physicians," he said in the report.
IMS' CEO, Steve Churchill, said that the group will ask the 2025 Iowa General Assembly to provide funding for the creation of 200 more residency slots in the state, which will cost $20 million per year. They will also recommend expanding state programs that would eliminate college debt for physicians who choose to practice in the state after receiving their license.