Opinion
Physician shortage no surprise
LETTER — Posted Sept. 4, 2006
Regarding "Work force studies find scattered physician shortages" (Article, Aug. 14): As an ob-gyn working in Massachusetts I am not surprised at all. What happens if you combine low reimbursements for physicians or low salaries, high liability premiums and high cost of living, especially a real estate market that is somewhere between abusively overpriced and unaffordable? You get a shortage of physicians.
No reason to worry, though -- this is just the free market in action. You make it difficult for people and they will leave.
What do you do to fix it? Pay physicians better, and they will come. Rein in trial attorneys with a cap on pain and suffering, and physicians will feel more at ease. Easy to understand.
Matthias G. Muenzer, MD, Brookline, Mass.
Note: This item originally appeared at http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2006/09/04/edlt0904.htm.