According to a New Study...

The United States could face a crisis in medical treatment for the elderly if current supply is not increased in the nation’s medical facilities, Columbia University Medical Center researchers have found.

The researchers found that there is currently not an adequate number of geriatric specialists available as the first of the baby boomer generation reaches the age of 65 in 2011. Furthermore, physicians who do practice in the field are underpaid. The report, issued last week by the Institute of Medicine, was led by Mailman School of Public Health health policy and management Professor John Rowe.

Studies estimate that by 2030, there will be approximately 70 million Americans over the age of 65—double the number there were in 2000. At the same time, doctors specializing in geriatrics dropped from around 9,000 to 6,000 from 1998 to 2004.

“We face an impending crisis as the growing number of older patients, who are living longer with more complex health needs, increasingly outpaces the number of health care providers with the knowledge and skills to care for them capably,” Rowe said in the report. “The sheer number of older patients in the coming years will require trying new models for delivering health care and the commitment of greater financial resources.”

Medical schools nationwide have begun to acknowledge the need for increased facilities for the elderly, and have designed programs for students to have increased contact and training with geriatric patients.

sandeep.soman@columbiaspectator.com