Family Life

01.26.12 | Sarah Harnisch

There is a doctor shortage in New York state. The Healthcare Association of New York State is out with a new report that shows outside of New York City, the state is not attracting enough doctors to meet the existing need. Positions in demand include primary care physicians, urologists, psychiatrists, orthopedics, and several other specialists. More then half of the hospitals in the Rochester area have cut or elminated services because there aren't enough doctors to provide them. In Monroe County, there is a program in place now that pays off the college debt of any doctor that chooses to root themselves in the Rochester area. Experts blame the loss of doctors on a combination of things-- including the inclement climate in upstate New York, retirement, and relatively low pay scale for M.D.'s in this part of the world. The report shows the physicians are aging out, and hospitals are having a hard time replenishing the supply.