Assignment
The United States is projected to experience a significant shortage of primary care physicians (PCPs) and registered nurses (RNs), which is expected to intensify with the aging baby-boomer population. According to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS, 2013), it has been estimated that by 2020 the country could experience a shortage of 20,400 or more primary care physicians, which often affects those living in inner-city communities and rural America. These shortages will be alleviated by the increased number of physician assistants and nurse practitioners, which will grow by 30% (HHS). According to Shi and Singh (2015), by 2020 there could be a deficit of Registered Nurses of over 300,000. As the need for healthcare grows, the uneven distribution and growing deficit of resources and providers leaves a large percentage of Americans at risk.
Reference: U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, Health Resources and Services Administration, National Center for Health Workforce Analysis. (2013). Projecting the supply and demand for primary care practitioners through 2020.
1. Explain why there may be a shortage of PCPs in rural and inner-city communities. (1-2 paragraphs)
2. How is the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) addressing the shortage of PCPs and RNs? (1-2 paragraphs)
3. What other programs are available to address the shortage of primary care physicians and nurses? What action are the programs taking? (1-2 paragraphs)
4. How is the shortage impacting healthcare delivery? Be specific by providing examples and support your response with academic resources. (1-2 paragraphs)
Format your assignment according to the give formatting requirements:
1. The answer must be double spaced, typed, using Times New Roman font (size 12), with one-inch margins on all sides.
2. The response also includes a cover page containing the title of the assignment, the course title, the student's name, and the date. The cover page is not included in the required page length.
3. Also include a reference page. The references and Citations should follow APA format. The reference page is not included in the required page length.