Dec. 5 (UPI) -- Researchers from Doximity, a healthcare networking company, found that in many parts of the United States, the need for doctors is in high demand, a report says.
They poured over 8,000 physician job advertisements throughout large U.S. metropolitan areas in 2017 and 2018, and found a 7 percent year-over-year uptick in job growth, along with a healthy spike in compensation for doctors in various regions throughout the country.
Tucson, Los Angeles, Chicago, Little Rock and Baltimore had the biggest need for doctors, according to the study.
Meanwhile, Little Rock, Des Moines, Omaha, Milwaukee and Philadelphia saw the biggest jumps in compensation for physicians.
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"The economy saw strong growth this year, and the healthcare sector was no exception," Amit Phull, vice president of Strategy and Insights at Doximity, said in a press release. "However, the demand growth we're finding seems to be outpacing the strong economy, and it's possible that this represents an early warning of demand outstripping the available supply of medical talent."
The research showed an unevenly distributed growth pattern of demand for physicians around the United States.
Overall, the Bureau of Labor Statistics says the healthcare market added 323,000 jobs over the last year.
The researchers don't anticipate a rise in demand for physicians in all parts of the country in 2019 due to possible changes in some government health care programs. Uncertainty on the future of Medicare and Medicaid, as well as a possible repeal of the Affordable Care Act could shift the number of people who have access to affordable health care.
"The 2018 Doximity data indicates significant growth in demand for physicians," said Christopher Whaley, the report's lead author and adjunct assistant professor at the University of California, Berkeley School of Public Health. "Other research has shown that there are numerous factors driving physician demand, including an aging population that requires more medical services and increased administrative tasks for doctors."
