Iowa needs doctors

All too often we see patients experiencing poor health because of a disease or condition that was preventable or more readily treatable if caught earlier on. The problem is these patients, especially in rural communities, have less access to providers/care because there aren’t any locally, and if there are, the wait is months long because that provider is having to care for too many patients.

Timely access to high quality health care is critical to the health and well-being of Iowa’s communities and families. Yet, Iowa ranks 44th in the nation for physicians per capita.

The Iowa Medical Society (IMS) created Operation I.O.W.A. (Innovative Opportunities for Workforce Action) — a one-day summit in early December that convened nearly 60 physicians, health care executives, policy experts, and community leaders from across the state to develop solutions to the physician workforce crisis. Hundreds of innovative solutions were offered, voted on, and ultimately included in a final report.

Specifically, the Operation I.O.W.A. report includes these top recommendations to support:

More residency training slots. It’s a known fact that physicians often decide to stay and practice where they do their residency, and that Iowa doesn’t have enough positions to meet the growing care needs in the state. Increasing funding for residency positions will mean more Iowa-trained and practicing physicians.

Break down financial barriers. Financial barriers are a substantial obstacle for most students considering going into medicine. Across the U.S., medical school graduate loan debt now averages $227,000 and many graduates have upward of $400,000 in educational debt. Creating more financially viable pathways, like scholarships and loan repayment programs, will help them see the value in staying.

More time with patients and less paperwork. Any doctor will agree we need to reduce administrative burdens that consume significant physician time and do not improve access to care. Physicians are spending more and more time on processes like prior authorization or electronic health records, instead of spending that time with their patients.

Gov. Kim Reynolds intends to introduce legislation to create 115 new medical residency slots, double funding for and streamline Iowa’s physician loan repayment programs. Total funding for the new residency slots totals approximately $150 million. Total funding for the loan repayment programs will increase to $10 million.

These priorities align with our Operation I.O.W.A. multiyear recommendations and short-term with IMS’ legislative priorities this session to increase the physician workforce. IMS is eager to work with policymakers to implement the proposed legislation that will improve health care access for everyone in our great state. Iowa desperately needs doctors.

Gerard Clancy, MD, is Operation I.O.W.A. Cochair, senior associate dean for External Affairs, Carver College of Medicine, and professor of psychiatry and emergency medicine in the University of Iowa Health Care Michael McCoy, MD, is Operation I.O.W.A. Cochair and president and CEO at Great River Health, West Burlington. Christina Taylor, MD, is president, Iowa Medical Society.