Mapping Proximity to Infectious Disease Physicians Across the United States

Area of Science:

• Infectious Diseases
• Public Health
• Healthcare Workforce Analysis

Background:

• The United States experiences ongoing shortages of infectious disease (ID) physicians.
• These shortages impact patient care and public health preparedness.
• Recent fellowship match data indicates persistent challenges in recruiting ID specialists.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the current geographic distribution of infectious disease physicians in the US.
• To identify challenges contributing to the shortage, particularly in rural areas.
• To inform strategies for addressing the infectious disease workforce gap.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of fellowship match data.
• Geographic mapping of infectious disease physician density.
• Review of factors affecting rural physician recruitment and retention.

Main Results:

• Significant geographic disparities in infectious disease physician availability were observed.
• Rural communities face disproportionately greater challenges in accessing infectious disease specialists.
• Fellowship match outcomes highlight the difficulty in attracting physicians to underserved areas.

Conclusions:

• The shortage of infectious disease physicians remains a critical issue in the US.
• Addressing geographic maldistribution is essential for equitable healthcare access.
• Targeted interventions are needed to support infectious disease physician presence in rural settings.