Ep. 69: The physician shortage with Brian McKillop of AMN Healthcare

Brian McKillop, president of AMN Healthcare's locum tenens division, joins the show to talk projections, causes and solutions for the U.S. physician shortage.

Find AMN Healthcare's latest report, "The Physician Shortage: Projections, Causes, and Solutions," here.

Don't miss our previous episodes on the risks of prescribing GLP-1 drugs, immigration policy and the physician shortage, AI diagnostic tools and patient autonomy.

Music Credits:
MUCHOS BESOS by Bopper Beats - stock.adobe.com
Relaxing Lounge by Classy Call me Man - stock.adobe.com
COCKTAIL by Mythical Audio - stock.adobe.com

Editor's note: Episode timestamps and transcript produced using AI tools.

Introduction and Episode Overview (00:00:25) Host introduces the podcast, guests, and main topic: the physician shortage and AMN Healthcare’s latest report.

Projections of Physician Shortage (00:01:25) Discussion of recent projections and statistics on the physician shortage through 2036.

Implications for Patients and Doctors (00:02:23) Exploring what the shortage means for health care delivery, supply and demand, and patient care.

Seven P’s: Contributing Factors to the Shortage (00:02:46) Breakdown of the seven main factors driving the physician shortage, including population growth, aging, burnout and pipeline issues.

Underserved Communities and Access Disparities (00:05:58) Addressing the shortage’s impact on underserved areas and strategies to improve access to care.

Filling Gaps: Advanced Practice Providers and International Physicians (00:07:48) How nurse practitioners, PAs and international medical graduates help fill physician gaps, especially in rural areas.

Burnout: Causes and Solutions (00:09:06) Discussion of physician burnout, its causes, and both micro and macro solutions to improve retention.

Aging Population and Physician Retirement Cliff (00:11:43) Impact of an aging population and workforce on physician supply and patient care needs.

Medical Residency Caps and Funding (00:12:36) How residency slot caps and funding mechanisms affect the pipeline of new physicians.

Changing Practice Models: Employment and Flexibility (00:15:03) Shift from independent practice to employment, rise of telemedicine and the importance of flexible work models.

Short-Term Solutions to the Physician Shortage (00:17:21) Immediate actions to address the shortage, including international medical graduates and retention strategies.

About AMN Healthcare and Resources (00:19:01) Overview of AMN Healthcare’s services and resources available for physicians and health care organizations.

Closing Remarks and Credits (00:20:06) Thanking the guest, encouraging subscriptions and providing production credits.