Retirements by baby-boomer doctors, nurses could strain overhaul

Retirements by baby-boomer doctors, nurses could strain overhaul

Washington Post Staff Writer
Monday, June 14, 2010

Since the passage of the health-care law in March, much has been said about the coming swarm of millions of retiring baby boomers and the strain they will put on the nation's health-care system.

That's only half the problem. Overlooked in the conversation is a particular group of boomers: doctors and nurses who are itching to call it quits. Health-care economists and other experts say retirements in that group over the next 10 to 15 years will greatly weaken the health-care workforce and leave many Americans who are newly insured under the new legislation without much hope of finding a doctor or nurse.

Continues at link.

Lots of employment opportunities in the medical fields not just doctors and nurses. When I read this article I also remembered the postings about the "angry youth" of today because "they have no future."

Hint... hint..............

Surely, this was taken into consideration while this bill was still in contemplation. This is just another manufactured problem, with a pre-manufactured solution...

reply to post by KillenfizzenHumboflorator


I would disagree with you. This was a problem even before the new legislation. So much so that my state runs a program that pays for a nurse's education, up front. I know a young woman who just received her RN license in January of this year via the program. All because there are not enough nurses to go around NOW much less as the baby boomers begin to retire.

Of course, the medical field is not the only field that will suffer. Any field that requires technical training and/or skill will.

reply to post by KillenfizzenHumboflorator


But upon consideration of your comment, it is interesting to think about "what were they thinking?!" I just sorta took it for granted that it was common knowledge

Take it from me....The problem is now and budget cuts that leave you with more patients and acute patient problems then ever before...The system is broke....I'm not sure how to fix it....

but let me tell you a story of a 92year old women, who by the way couldn't go under to have surgery even if they found something, tell the doctor she felt a lump in her breast....

What do you think he did?

A:reassure her that everything was fine.
B:Order a mammogram
C:Act like he didn't hear her ,and see if she restates it on the next visit.

The answer is B ....Am I the only one that thinks this was a waist of money?That is just a exsample of waistful medical spending that you see for people who have medicare and medicaid.....

reply to post by zbeliever


No, you are not alone in finding that sort of incident a waste of money. I've elderly in my family, one of which is a hypochondriac. It makes me angry pretty much on a weekly basis. Though, to be sure, your person didn't appear to be imagining her lump. My point was more along the lines of it doesn't matter if the tests are warranted or not... just run them and collect fees. At least in some cases... or some doctors. I would not paint all doctors with this same brush!

What's even worse is the lack of experienced teaching nurses. This condition has persisted for a long time and will only get worse.

www.physorg.com...

www.nln.org...