The geriatrician and geriatric psychiatrist workforce in Texas: characteristics, challenges, and policy implications.

OBJECTIVE

This study provides a current analysis of the size and characteristics of the board-certified geriatrician and geriatric psychiatrist workforce in Texas, and thereby its capacity to meet increasing health needs of elders.

METHOD

Secondary data on Texas board-certified geriatricians and geriatric psychiatrists from American Board of Medical Specialties database were analyzed.

RESULTS

The study found 1 geriatrician per 5,132 elders, and 1 geriatric psychiatrist per 21,327 elders, in Texas. Over 62% of geriatricians had active certification, 30% were females and the average age was 55.2 years. Rural geriatricians were disproportionately scarce (p < .001).

DISCUSSION

The study indicated a serious shortage of board-certified geriatricians and geriatric psychiatrists in Texas. This shortage is worse than that at the national level, and more marked along the Texas-Mexico border and counties lacking large health facilities. Addressing this workforce deficiency requires improvements in the geriatric training pipeline, reimbursements, and practice environments.