James September-October 2024 web - Flipbook - Page 36
physicians per capita, according to the
Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC), while it ranks No. 41 for
the number of primary care physicians
and No. 44 for the number of general
surgeons per capita. The shortage of
medical providers is particularly acute
in rural and underserved areas, where
access is even more limited.
In recent years, Georgia’s population has surged to approximately 11
million residents, straining existing
medical infrastructure and resulting in
longer wait times for appointments and
reduced access to care. And Georgia—
the nation’s eighth largest state— is forecasted to experience further population
growth. At the same time, this will be
when nearly one-third of the state’s
physicians are nearing retirement.
There’s some good news, though,
in this regard. Earlier this year the
University System of Georgia Board of
Regents authorized the University of
Georgia to establish a new independent School of Medicine in Athens to
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help address the physician shortage.
“The state’s new initiative to develop a medical school at the University
of Georgia is an excellent example of
how the state is proactively addressing
access issues as a long-term investment in the future of healthcare for
Georgians,” said Piedmont President
and CEO Kevin Brown. “Given our
statewide presence, including our
Piedmont Athens clinical hub, we are
excited to do what we can to help
advance this development. The new
medical school will complement the
other strong medical schools in the
state as we look to improve access to
care, expand clinical programs and
recruit and retain top clinical talent.”
Neil Pruitt, chairman and CEO
of PruittHealth, points out that the
number of open healthcare positions in
Georgia is expected to grow to 100,000
by 2030. As Georgia continues to grow,
he warns, so the state’s healthcare system faces ongoing challenges to keep
pace. “We feel strongly that there must
SEPTE M B E R/O C TO BE R 2 0 2 4
be a continued focus on healthcare
skills in education, or the profession will
not be able to meet the needs of medically vulnerable and aging populations,
particularly in rural areas,” said Pruitt.
“The need for a strong pipeline of homegrown talent is critical.” That’s why,
he says, “PruittHealth will continue to
support early-career-hiring by partnering with universities and tech schools
across the state,” Pruitt added.
addressing the pipeline
Phoebe Putney Health System
in Albany has become a nationwide
leader in healthcare workforce development, and the Phoebe Living &
Learning Community is an impressive
cornerstone of Phoebe’s innovative and
industry-leading workforce development strategies. According to officials,
it represents around a $45 million
investment by Phoebe to address the
nursing shortage and is the centerpiece
of their efforts to work with regional education partners to vastly expand the
