Evaluation of Rheumatology Workforce Supply Changes in Ontario, Canada, from 2000 to 2030

Overview

Journal Healthc Policy

Specialty Public Health

Date 2021 Mar 15

PMID 33720829

Citations 10

Authors

Jessica Widdifield

Sasha Bernatsky

Janet E Pope

Bindee Kuriya

Claire E H Barber

Lihi Eder

Vandana Ahluwalia

Vicki Ling

Peter Gozdyra

Catherine Hofstetter

Anne Lyddiatt

J Michael Paterson

Carter Thorne

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Rheumatology workforces are increasingly challenged by too few physicians in face of the growing burden of rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases (RMDs). Rheumatology is one of the most frequent non-surgical specialty referrals and has the longest wait times for subspecialists. We used a population-based approach to describe changes in the rheumatology workforce, patient volumes and geographic variation in the supply of and access to rheumatologists, in Ontario, Canada, between 2000 and 2019, and projected changes in supply by 2030. Over time, we observed greater feminization of the workforce and increasing age of workforce members. We identified a large regional variation in rheumatology supply. Fewer new patients are seen annually, which likely contributes to increasing wait times and reduced access to care. Strategies and policies to raise the critical mass and improve regional distribution of supply to effectively provide rheumatology care and support the healthcare delivery of patients with RMDs are needed.

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