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CERTAIN DOCTORS IN SHORT SUPPLY.
GOOD EVENING AND WELCOME TO
22NEWS AT 5:30 I'M BARRY KRIGER
AND I'M LAURA HUTCHINSON
IF YOU'VE EVER WAITED TOO LONG
AT THE DOCTOR'S OFFICE... IT
COULD BE BECAUSE OF A SHORTAGE
OF PHYSICIANS HERE IN
MASSACHUSETTS.
22NEWS REPORTER JACKIE BROUSSEAU
DETAILS A NEW REPORT THAT SHOWS
WHERE DOCTORS ARE NEEDED THE
MOST.
THERE IS A CRITICAL DOCTOR
SHORTAGE IN THE STATE AND
WESTERN MASS IS ONE AREA
IMPACTED THE MOST.
I HAVE 3 CHILDREN AND I
DEFINITELY WORRY ABOUT IT. FOR
MOMS LIKE TATYANA YERMOKOV, A
DOCTOR SHORTAGE TRANSLATES INTO
A LONGER WAIT AT THE DOCTOR'S
OFFICE.
IT'S VERY INCONVENIENT. THEY
EXPECT YOU TO BE ON TIME AND
YOU GET THERE AND YOU ARE
SITTING THERE AND EXPECT SAME
BACK THAT YOU'LL WAIT 5- 10 MIN
THE MOST AND THEN YOU HAVE TO
SIT FOR AN HOUR EVEN LONGER.
THIS YEAR, THE MASSACHUSETTS
MEDICAL SOCIETY'S WORKFORCE
STUDY FOUND THAT DOCTOR'S IN THE
FIELD OF NEUROSURGERY HAVE NOW
JOINED THE LIST OF THOSE IN
SHORT SUPPLY. UROLOGISTS AND
PSYCHIATRISTS ARE ALSO IN HIGH
DEMAND ACROSS THE STATE, BUT A
SHORTAGE OF PRIMARY CARE DOCTORS
WILL HAVE THE BIGGEST IMPACT ON
PATIENTS.
A RECENT SURVEY WE DID ON DELAYS
SHOWED IT TAKES ABOUT 40 DAYS
TO GET AN APPOINTMENT WITH A NEW
PHYSICIAN WHO IS TAKING
PATIENTS. THE MASSACHUSETTS
MEDICAL SOCIETY PRESIDENT, DR.
RICHARD AGHABABIAN SAYS THIS
YEAR'S REPORT IS AN IMPROVEMENT.
SEVEN SPECIALTIES ARE
EXPERIENCING SHORTAGES, COMPARED
TO EIGHT LAST YEAR AND 12 IN
2008. BUT AREAS OUTSIDE BOSTON,
INCLUDING WESTERN MASS, ARE THE
AREAS THAT ARE EXPERIENCING THE
WORST SHORTAGES.
A LOT OF THE MEDICAL STUDENTS
AND RESIDENTS HAVE HUGE DEBT
BURDENS FROM THEIR EDUCATION AND
I THINK MANY ARE LOOKING FOR
SITUATION WHERE THEY'LL HAVE THE
SALARY AND GUARANTEED INCOME SO
THEY DON'T HAVE TO PUT OFF
FAMILY DECISIONS ANY LONGER. DR.
AGHABABIAN SAYS COMMUNITIES NEED
TO INCREASE INCENTIVES FOR
DOCTORS TO STAY AND EXPAND
NETWORKS ACROSS THE STATE TO
HELP ALLEVIATE THE SHORTAGE
WHICH COULD ONLY GET WORSE
BECAUSE MORE PEOPLE ARE REQUIRED
TO HAVE HEALTH INSURANCE. IN
CHICOPEE, I'M JACKIE BROUSSEAU
FOR 22NEWS.