profession
Some Oregon doctors expect to retire soon
NEWS IN BRIEF — Posted July 5, 2010
Twenty-two percent of Oregon physicians plan to retire within the next five years, according to a survey by the Oregon Health Authority and the Oregon Medical Assn.
Many doctors in the state are concerned about low payment rates, with 66% saying they support revising Medicare and Medicaid fee schedules. Results of the 2009 survey of Oregon's approximately 3,300 active, licensed physicians were released in June (link).
John Moorhead, MD, chair of the Oregon Health Policy Board Health Care Workforce Committee, said the survey shows a need to prepare for doctor shortages. "More than ever, efforts to recruit and keep physicians in Oregon need to be robust," Dr. Moorhead said in a statement.
In 2009, 19% of Oregon physicians had stopped accepting new Medicare patients, and nearly 25% of primary care physicians in the state were not accepting new Medicaid patients.
Note: This item originally appeared at http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2010/07/05/prbf0705.htm.
