Local Hospitals Respond To Physician Shortage

Lower wages, population growth lead to fewer primary care doctors HARRISONBURG - National studies predict a grim future for patients looking for a primary care doctor, both here in the central Valley and throughout the U.S. Some estimates project a shortage of more than 100,000 primary care doctors in the next 10 to 15 years, but officials say it's tough to tell what will happen in any give region. "One of the problems is, depending on which source you use, the shortage numbers are different," said Dr. Dale Carroll, chief medical officer for Rockingham Memorial Hospital. Dr. John Taylor, CEO of Valley Health Plan, said projections can be misleading because they're more of a planning tool for health care providers than an accurate picture of the future of medicine. Valley Health Plan and RMH work with local practices to... [read full story]