Washington, D.C. – Rep. Greg Murphy, M.D. (NC-03) published an Op-ed in the Daily Reflector on National Doctor’s Day highlighting the alarming shortage of doctors in America.

You can read the full Op-ed in the Daily Reflector here or in its entirety below. 

Greg Murphy: Don't Just Thank a Doctor When it’s National Doctor's Day

What image does the word “doctor” invoke in you? 

For some, it's the person dressed in white, wearing a mask, with a bright light behind them. For many, it’s the person you or your kids go to when you feel under the weather or need your annual checkup. For others, it’s George Clooney playing Doug Ross on ER. 

During the pandemic, doctors were amongst the heroes who kept us healthy. They worked long nights, oftentimes at their own personal risk, and took the time to comfort the sick and dying. But, as the pandemic ends, the healing role of doctors marches on.

As the only practicing physician in Congress and a Co-Chair of the House GOP Doctor’s Caucus, I know the importance that doctors provide in keeping communities, states, and the nation healthy. Yet the outlook of life as a physician these days is growing more challenging. With over 30 years of experience, I absolutely understand the growing burdens, frustrations, and sleepless nights our physicians face. The tsunami of ever-increasing regulations in the midst of perpetual reimburse cuts is, at times, making life untenable for one of the nation’s most revered professions. 

There are roughly one million doctors in the United States, including 40,000 physicians in North Carolina, who serve over 330 million Americans. However, doctors are aging, with the average age of a doctor now standing at 50, and over 35% of doctors in the 55 – 75 age bracket. The American Medical Association has estimated that by 2034, the nation will face a shortage of between 18,000 and 48,000 primary care physicians. In my specialty of urology, the most critically short surgical field in terms of doctors, the figures are even more foreboding. More than half of urologists are over the age of 60 with a third older than 65.

Doctors are becoming scarce, especially in rural areas. For example, more than 60% of counties in the United States have zero urologists. Despite this shortage, the number of Medicare-funded residencies has stagnated over the last 25 years, with growth just below 3%. In fact, the number of graduate medical education slots has been capped since 1997, despite a significant increase in the U.S. population

In addition to a lack of growth in the number of doctors, reimbursement for physician services is declining due to increased clinical wages and practice expenses. Between 2001 and 2022 doctor reimbursement went down 22% when adjusted for inflation. We had to fight tooth and nail in the last Congress just so physicians would only receive a 2% cut in Medicare reimbursement. While this may not sound like much, in the long run, it is detrimental to private doctors, especially those who want to treat Medicare patients. If Medicare reimbursements do not keep up with inflation and the rising costs of treatment, we will see an even greater scarcity of doctors, and patients will be left with a more expensive site of service or, worse yet, no service at all. 

At one point or another, everyone will need a doctor in their life. Doctors must excel during a long and rigorous process of study from undergraduate, to medical school, to residency requiring self and family sacrifice. At times they must make life or death decisions. They have been given a great responsibility and a gift to heal and ease suffering. This National Doctor’s Day, please be sure to thank the doctors in your life. I know I'll be thanking mine.