TY - JOUR
T1 - The geriatrician and geriatric psychiatrist workforce in Texas
T2 - Characteristics, challenges, and policy implications
AU - Sumaya, Ciro V.
AU - Opara, Chidiebere M.
AU - Espino, David V.
N1 - Funding Information:
The authors disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: This work was supported by the John and Maureen Cox Endowed Chair, Program for Health Workforce Analysis and Policy, Texas A & M Health Science Center.
PY - 2013/9
Y1 - 2013/9
N2 - Objectives: This study provides a current analysis of the size and characteristics of the board-certified geriatrician and geriatric psychiatrist workforce in Texas, and thereby its capacity to meet increasing health needs of elders. Method: Secondary data on Texas board-certified geriatricians and geriatric psychiatrists from American Board of Medical Specialties database were analyzed. Results: The study found 1 geriatrician per 5,132 elders, and 1 geriatric psychiatrist per 21,327 elders, in Texas. Over 62% of geriatricians had active certification, 30% were females and the average age was 55.2 years. Rural geriatricians were disproportionately scarce (p <.001). Discussion: The study indicated a serious shortage of board-certified geriatricians and geriatric psychiatrists in Texas. This shortage is worse than that at the national level, and more marked along the Texas-Mexico border and counties lacking large health facilities. Addressing this workforce deficiency requires improvements in the geriatric training pipeline, reimbursements, and practice environments.
AB - Objectives: This study provides a current analysis of the size and characteristics of the board-certified geriatrician and geriatric psychiatrist workforce in Texas, and thereby its capacity to meet increasing health needs of elders. Method: Secondary data on Texas board-certified geriatricians and geriatric psychiatrists from American Board of Medical Specialties database were analyzed. Results: The study found 1 geriatrician per 5,132 elders, and 1 geriatric psychiatrist per 21,327 elders, in Texas. Over 62% of geriatricians had active certification, 30% were females and the average age was 55.2 years. Rural geriatricians were disproportionately scarce (p <.001). Discussion: The study indicated a serious shortage of board-certified geriatricians and geriatric psychiatrists in Texas. This shortage is worse than that at the national level, and more marked along the Texas-Mexico border and counties lacking large health facilities. Addressing this workforce deficiency requires improvements in the geriatric training pipeline, reimbursements, and practice environments.
KW - board-certified geriatric psychiatrists
KW - board-certified geriatricians
KW - geriatric psychiatrist-to-elderly population ratio
KW - geriatrician-to-elderly population ratio
KW - increased chronic disease burden among the elderly
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U2 - 10.1177/0898264313497511
DO - 10.1177/0898264313497511
M3 - Article
C2 - 23918906
AN - SCOPUS:84883711376
VL - 25
SP - 1050
EP - 1064
JO - Journal of Aging and Health
JF - Journal of Aging and Health
SN - 0898-2643
IS - 6
ER -