The study, conducted by the Maryland Hospital Association and the State Medical Society of Maryland, found shortages of qualified surgeons in many regions of Maryland, especially rural areas.
Clinical activities and demographics of seven surgical specialties — general, orthopedic, otolaryngology, vascular, noncardiac thoracic surgeons, neurosurgeons and urologists — were examined. The study found that the number of surgeons providing care to patients per 100,000 people was below the requirements for general surgery, vascular and noncardiac specialties.
In addition, 40.3 percent of the surgeons were 55 years or older in 2007, according to the release, which could predict a more critical shortage in the future as surgeons retire.
Read about the Maryland surgeon shortage.
