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Change immigration rules to address physician shortage

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Immigrants arriving at Ellis Island, N.Y., in 1908.

Nicole Fisher, CEO  and founder of HHR Strategies, a healthcare and human-rights focused consulting firm, writes in Forbes about how revising U.S. immigration laws can help address the growing shortage of physicians. She notes:

“Native-born physicians are … choosing more profitable specializations, such as dermatology, obstetrics and orthopedics. This leaves generalist positions like family medicine, internal medicine and pediatrics more likely to be filled by foreign-born practitioners. Foreign-born medical professionals are, therefore, key to addressing the shortage of primary-care physicians in the United States, particularly in underserved communities where there are fewer specialists and therefore a greater need for a broad range of medical skills. In fact, the American Academy of Family Physicians estimates that although family physicians make up less than 15 percent of the outpatient workforce, they perform about 42 percent of office visits in rural areas.”

To read Ms. Fisher’s piece, please hit this link.

 

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