Family Doctor Shortage: 2 Main Factors, and What You Can Do

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In recent years, the United States has faced a shortage of primary care physicians, also called family doctors. This issue has far-reaching consequences for the health care system, and the shortage is expected to become more severe in the coming years.

The American Medical Association projects that by 2034, we’ll have a shortage of between 17,800 and 48,000 primary care physicians.

2 Factors Increase Strain on the Health Care System

A September 2022 report from the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) noted that nearly 98 million Americans live in a primary-care health professional shortage area.