Health Provider Shortage

2.) HEALTHCARE PROVIDER SHORTAGE

One of the most significant healthcare concerns voiced during the community focus groups was the shortage of primary care providers, particularly those who accept Medical Assistance.  St. Mary’s County is also lacking in specialists, forcing residents to either travel outside of the county or to go without care.  This is a concern not only for residents, but for local physicians as well.  Physicians who participated in the community focus groups expressed concern that the lack of specialists interferes with their ability to effectively treat and provide for their patients.  Specific specialist shortages that were most commonly noted in the focus groups were: 

The County is currently 83.4% underserved in primary care practitioners and subspecialty providers.  A Physician Recruitment initiative is being led by St. Mary’s Hospital to increase healthcare services in the community and to address the forecasted need for additional physicians in this area due to an aging physician workforce.  In addition, a Workforce Development initiative, also led by St. Mary’s Hospital, involves efforts to utilize Physician Rural Rotation programs in partnership with Franklin Square Hospital and the University of Maryland. 

GOAL:  The goal of the Local Health Improvement Process is to increase the availability of primary care physicians, specialists, and dental care providers in St. Mary’s County by 2015.

Outcome Objectives/Measures:
Objective 1:  Support the efforts of St. Mary’s Hospital to recruit physicians by endorsing requests for funding and program development, and support hospital initiatives to improve the recruitment process.

Objective 2:   Report number of new physician recruitments to the LHIC at the August and February quarterly meetings.