It's hard to find a doctor these days. That's according to a survey released by Healthcare Association Of New York State.
According to (HANYS), in all of the regions in New York State, Western New York is experiencing the worst shortage of doctors. The Buffalo area, for example, has 60 doctors per 100,000 patients. The national average is about 80 doctors per 100,000 patients.
Possible reasons for such a shortage, physicians are leaving because of retirement and that physicians are difficult to recruit.
The shortage of primary care physicians is not just a problem in Buffalo, but a state issue as well. In a newer report from (HANYS), 94 hospitals surveyed outside of New York City were in need of physicians. Seventy-five percent of the hospitals said they were concerned about the possibility of not being able to meet the demands of of future needs.
There are some physicians that are combating this issue. University Of Buffalo created a scholarship that awards local students who qualify receive $30,000 annually. The students must promise to stay in Western New York to receive the funding.
