The Israeli anesthesiology workforce crisis: a reassessment survey

Area of Science:

• Medical Workforce Analysis
• Anesthesiology Workforce Demographics

Background:

• Increasing demand for anesthesiology services in Israel due to an aging population.
• A previous 2005 study indicated a workforce primarily composed of immigrant physicians.
• Decreased physician immigration and increased retirements have exacerbated the shortage since 2005.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the composition of the Israeli anesthesiology workforce in 2021.
• To compare the 2021 workforce demographics with those from 2005.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional survey was conducted.
• Data was collected from 34 anesthesiology department chairs across 36 Israeli acute care hospitals.
• Demographic and professional information of anesthesiologists was solicited.

Main Results:

• The Israeli anesthesiology workforce comprised 1313 physicians in 2021, yielding a ratio of 14.2 per 100,000 population.
• 22.6% of anesthesiologists are projected to reach retirement age within the next decade.
• While Israeli medical school graduates increased to 18.1%, foreign trainees constituted 8.5% of the workforce.

Conclusions:

• A worsening anesthesiologist shortage is anticipated in the next ten years due to retirements and policy changes.
• The current workforce relies on international trainees to mitigate shortages.
• Expanding the local Israeli anesthesiology workforce is crucial to prevent future critical shortages.