Radiologists are the most difficult physician specialists to recruit, according to a survey of 280 hospital administrators.
Survey respondents listed several specialists that are very difficult to find and hire, and radiologists were mentioned by 63% of the administrators. Orthopedic surgeons came next at 58%, followed by anesthesiologists (49%), cardiologists (47%), and rheumatologists (46%).
"Radiologists are the toughest search right now," said Phil Miller, communications director of Merritt, Hawkins & Associates, a Dallas-based physician recruitment firm that sponsored the survey. "The demand for them continues to go up, but the supply is going to remain static."
Miller blamed the specialist shortage on an aging population, early physician retirement, rising malpractice rates, changes in physician practice styles, and an emphasis on training primary-care physicians. Procedural growth associated with new imaging technologies and policies that steered medical students into primary care are making out-of-work radiologists particularly hard to find, with little relief in sight.
"The ability to pay for the services will be there. The demand will be there, but the supply won't," he said.
About 85% of the respondents are actively recruiting physicians: 45% have slots available for family physicians. Internists and general surgeons are also in demand, the survey said.
