Primary Care Case Study

What is the projected demand for workers in the health care field over the next 20 years?

The demand for primary care services has stimulated the training of nurse practitioners, physician assistants, and certified nurse midwives who can deliver basic primary care to patients without access to primary care physicians.

How does the aging of the population, health insurance reimbursement, and consumer demand impact the practice patterns of health care clinicians? A physician shortage is expected by 2020, primarily driven by the demand for physician services. The number of persons over the age of 65 will double by 2030. The older population may also present with comorbidities that demand more physician services. Of the 83 million people over age 62, 14 million will have diabetes, and 21 million will be obese. However, first year enrollment in medical schools has declined every year since 1980.Other conditions that will drive demand for physician services include rates of heart disease and cancer, two of the leading causes of death in the U.S. It is projected that the shortage will most affect the primary care sector of physician services. Physicians who practice primary

Decision makers will need to determine how to best utilize nurses, technicians, and other professionals to close the gap in providing services to patients. Nurses require less time to train, are less expensive to train, cost less to employ, and can increase the efficiency and productivity of physicians who provide care to patients. The increase in the use of health care services as well as the increase in the number of venues where health care is provided has also increased the job opportunities for nurses and other members of the healthcare workforce. The demand for primary care services has stimulated the training of nurse practitioners, physician assistants, and certified nurse