We need more doctors! A recent article in Health Affairs predicts population growth and aging will increase internists’ workload by 29 percent by 2025. Based on the current supply of generalists for adult care, the authors anticipate we’ll have a deficit of 35,000 – 44,000 adult primary care doctors. This is serious — we need to get creative about meeting our workforce needs (unless the current financial crisis prevents people who intended to retire from doing so?)

One of the most visionary things the ACC Board has done in its history was to add CCA nursing, PA, and PharmD members, noting that teams of care in CV medicine could help address an undersupply of cardiologists, and improve coordination and quality. Thanks goodness we have that opportunity to consider and develop. But, if we also have to absorb primary care in the absence of sufficient internists and family practitioners, we may be up a metaphoric creek.  

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