Wisconsin medical professionals are worried about a shortage of doctors in the state.
Hospital groups across the state say it's getting harder and harder to find doctors willing to work in primary care roles, those jobs that focus on helping patients each day. That's leading to a drop in the quality of care for many people.
Wisconsin Hospital Association Vice President George Quinn says many patients either have to travel further to see a doctor or just have a harder time getting in to receive treatment. As a result, some are putting off treatment for conditions that can easily grow worse over time.
A coalition of Wisconsin medical groups recently launched an online recruitment effort to try and attract physicians to the state. Quinn says the site already has over 500 job postings since going up just a short time ago. He says it's a little shocking to see so many vacancies.
Quinn says part of the problem is too many medical school graduates are deciding against working in primary care roles, choosing to specialize instead because they can have easier hours and often make more money. He says hospitals are working on ways to attract more doctors to fill primary care roles instead. However, he says there's a lot of competition for a limited pool of doctors.
AUDIO: Andrew Beckett reports (MP3 1:08)
