What's Behind Health Care Shortages?
If you've tried to book a doctor's appointment lately, chances are, it's been challenging. Many practices are not taking new patients, or open slots are weeks or months away. For some patients, it has meant gritting their teeth through pain and anxiety.
For others \u2014 like people living in rural areas or trying to see in-demand specialists like psychiatrists or neurologists \u2014 it can feel almost impossible to get an appointment at all, posing real threats to their health. Medical organizations warn that we're experiencing a physician shortage \u2014 and that things will only get worse.
On this episode, we look at this, and other, shortages plaguing the world of medicine, from medications to donated blood. We investigate what's causing this scarcity, and some potential solutions. We'll hear stories about the surprising origin of the physician shortage, and why we still have unemployed MDs sitting at home; what's behind the recent shortages of several high-profile medications; and how researchers are trying to address the chronic shortage of donated blood.
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