American College of Radiology voices ‘enthusiastic support’ for bill to expand physician workforce

The American College of Radiology is voicing “enthusiastic support” for a bipartisan bill to expand the U.S. physician workforce.

Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, and colleagues reintroduced the Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act in late April following its proposal in the House earlier this year. The bill aims to address workforce inadequacies by adding 14,000 Medicare-supported medical residency positions over a seven-year period.

ACR has joined 80 member organizations of the Graduate Medical Education Advocacy Coalition in urging lawmakers to push the proposal past the finish line. They cited Association of American Medical Colleges data estimating that the U.S. could face a shortfall of up to 124,000 doctors by 2034. Physicians, hospitals and medical schools are working to counter these trends, but they need help.

“Even with these efforts, however, shortages and access challenges will persist unless we expand the physician workforce,” ACR et al. wrote to Sen. Collins, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and others on May 22. “With demand for physicians continuing to outpace supply as both the patient population and physician workforce continue to age—it is critical now more than ever that Congress build on recent bipartisan efforts and invest in training more doctors.”

The GME member groups highlighted a 2021 CMS decision to invest $1.8 billion to fund more than 1,000 new residency slots—the largest such increase in 25 years. But they believe the feds need to go further by adding the 2,000 additional GME positions each year, as spelled out in Senate Bill 1302.

Collins and co-sponsors, including Bob Menendez, D-N.J., and John Boozman, R-Ark., agree that this issue requires urgent attention.

“In the midst of growing demand for medical treatments and services, our country continues to face a shortage of trained physicians. It is critical that we bridge the gap,” Collins said in an April 27 statement.

Others signing the letter to the Senate sponsors of the bill included the Association of University Radiologists, Society of Chairs of Academic Radiology Departments and the Society of Interventional Radiology. They also sent a similar message to members of the House on May 8.

Lawmakers previously introduced the Resident Physician Shortage Act in 2021 (and in 2019, 2017, 2015, etc.), but it failed to find passage. ACR highlighted the letter-writing campaign in a Wednesday, May 24, news post, noting that it has long-championed these changes.