The Challenge of Primary Care Recruitment

The United States faces a rising physician shortage, significantly impacting the recruitment and retention of Family Medicine and Internal Medicine providers. According to the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), there will be a shortage of 68,020 full-time equivalent (FTE) primary care physicians by 2036, a crisis that will hit nonmetro areas particularly hard.

This shortage has already led to a yearly decrease in the percentage of successfully filled searches. Recruitment teams must innovate to attract top talent, as healthcare organizations are competing for the same limited candidate pool. Family Medicine, Internal Medicine, and Hospital Medicine physicians are among the most sought-after, making these positions highly competitive to fill.

A February 2024 report, The Health of US Primary Care: 2024 Scorecard Report – No One Can See You Now by Milbank, highlights the critical role of primary care in improving population health and reducing disparities. Despite this, support for primary care remains insufficient.

The Workforce Challenge

• National physician turnover has averaged 8% over the past six years (AAPPR).

• 20% of the workforce is 65 or older, and another 22% is between 55–64—meaning a large portion is nearing retirement.

• With up to 10 years required to educate and train a physician, the pipeline isn’t expanding quickly enough to meet demand.

By 2036, the U.S. population is projected to grow by 8.4%, with the population aged 65+ growing by 34.1% and those 75+ by 54.7% (AMA). This demographic shift will place even more pressure on the primary care system.

Recruitment Landscape

Healthcare organizations primarily recruit providers from:

• Internet Job Boards – 38%

• Referrals – 19%

• Organization Websites – 12%

• Search Firms – 5%

Yet, only 14% of providers are actively seeking employment at any given time.

Adding to the challenge, there is a severe shortage of geriatricians—only 2% of active primary care physicians specialize in geriatrics (2021). This shortage is especially concerning given the rapidly growing older adult population.

Burnout and Turnover

Burnout is a major contributor to high turnover: 51% of primary care physicians reported burnout (TheDO). This leads to longer hiring cycles, with healthcare organizations waiting an average of 124 days to fill a primary care physician role (AAPPR).

Conclusion

The importance of primary care cannot be overstated. Healthcare organizations must develop robust recruitment strategies to secure primary care providers—benefiting organizations, specialists, and most importantly, patients. Without accessible primary care, patient health issues can become significantly more difficult to manage.

References

1. TheDO: Physician Burnout

2. AAMC: Physician Shortage

3. AMA: Addressing Physician Burnout

4. AAPPR: Benchmarking

5. AMA: Doctor Shortages

6. AAMC: Projected Physician Shortage

7. HRSA: State of Primary Care Workforce