To keep up with demand, the Unites States will need to increase its primary care physician workforce by 25 percent—growing by more than 50,000 doctors—by 2025.
A study in The Annals of Family Medicine said the increase was needed to keep up with population growth, aging, and insurance expansion following passage of the Affordable Care Act:
The total number of office visits to primary care physicians is projected to increase from 462 million in 2008 to 565 million in 2025. After incorporating insurance expansion, the United States will require nearly 52,000 additional primary care physicians by 2025. Population growth will be the largest driver, accounting for 33,000 additional physicians, while 10,000 additional physicians will be needed to accommodate population aging. Insurance expansion will require more than 8,000 additional physicians, a 3 percent increase in the current workforce.
