The Healthcare Crisis in Arizona- Naturopathic Doctors Can Contribute to the Solution
Much media attention in 2005 focused on the explosive population growth in Arizona* and how this is taxing available resources. One of these resources is in the essential area of healthcare, more specifically, the availability of physicians to meet the growing demand. Licensed Naturopathic physicians can contribute to abating the healthcare concern in Arizona.
Phoenix, AZ, December 15, 2005 --(PR.com)-- Much media attention in 2005 focused on the explosive population growth in Arizona* and how this is taxing available resources. One of these resources is in the essential area of healthcare, more specifically, the availability of physicians to meet the growing demand. Licensed Naturopathic physicians can contribute to abating the healthcare concern in Arizona.
According to Part I of The 2005 Arizona Physician Workforce Study**, Arizona has 207 doctors per 100,000 residents compared to a national average of 283 physicians per 100,000 population. While the study indicated an increase of physicians in active practice from 1994 to 2004, the physician to population ratio in Arizona is still far below the national average. This study places Arizona near the bottom of a ranking of states based on their supply of physicians. Earlier published news stories+ on this study suggest there is a physician shortage in Arizona and Arizonans could face longer commutes to find physicians, have fewer physicians to choose from, wait longer times to get appointments or surgeries, and spend longer times in waiting rooms to see already overbooked physicians.
Unfortunately, this study and subsequent articles are somewhat limited in scope as they neglect to include healthcare services being provided by the well educated, trained and licensed Naturopathic physicians working in Arizona. Arizona is home to more than 10% of the nation’s 3000 licensed Naturopathic doctors. There are currently about 400 Naturopathic physicians that are working to provide an array of medical services to both the populated and underserved communities of Arizona.
There are many contributing factors to the medical doctor (MD) shortage, including faulty forecasts that impacted residency programs paid by the federal government, decreases in applications to medical schools, a moratorium on building new medical schools, and the impact of growing numbers of aging baby boomers who will continue to require increased medical care in their old age. There are other dynamics at play, including the cost of managed healthcare, with 60% of insured Arizonans in managed-care plans. The reimbursement rates from HMOs are low, with many practices taking on additional patients and hours to sustain incomes.
Arizona is only one of 14 states that license naturopathic physicians and is home to one of four accredited naturopathic medical schools in the U.S. At Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine (SCNM), there are more than 340 students currently enrolled studying to become Naturopathic doctors. Since 2002 the number of graduates at SCNM has increased by 28%, each year outpacing the previous. Overall, Naturopathic medical education has been experiencing sustained growth. Currently, every year, the accredited schools collectively graduate over 600 naturopathic doctors, with more than 2000 students in their Naturopathic Doctor (ND) programs alone.
“Naturopathic physicians combine nutrition, exercise and stress reduction with conventional (prescription) and alternative (e.g., acupuncture and vitamins) therapies”, says Dr. Paul Mittman, President/CEO of Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine. “Given the epidemic of chronic diseases with roots in obesity and malnutrition, Naturopathic medicine is already helping improve health and healthcare in Arizona.”
Licensed naturopathic physicians attend a four-year medical school and study many of the same basic sciences and diagnostic techniques covered in traditional medical schools, however, naturopaths also study botanical medical, alternative therapies and acupuncture. They are trained in primary care and emphasize disease prevention and non-toxic approaches to therapy, such as lifestyle changes, nutrition and stress reduction. In Arizona, naturopathic doctors can prescribe most medications and perform minor surgeries.
The study of Naturopathic medicine continues to gain wider support, acceptance and legitimacy. To this point, in 1992 the National Institute of Health's (NIH) Office of Alternative Medicine, created by an act of Congress, invited leading naturopathic physicians (educators, researchers, and clinical practitioners) to serve on key federal advisory panels and to help define priorities and design protocols for state-of-the-art alternative medical research.
Naturopathic doctors often work side by side with conventional medical doctors to help meet the demand of patients for alternative choices in their healthcare. For the most part, Naturopathic doctors are not governed by managed-care companies and focus on spending the time with patients to treat the person from a more holistic approach, not a sole symptomatic approach. Patients are becoming increasingly frustrated with a five-minute office visit and the often quick-fix, pop-a-pill mentality type of healthcare they have sometimes received.
No one medical community can claim they can be everything to everyone. Naturopathic physicians offer patients a comprehensive scope of care that includes both alternative and integrative treatment choices. As the medical community explores solutions to alleviate the shortage of MDs in Arizona, the numbers of naturopathic doctors are rising to meet the call. This only helps to promote a better healthcare system overall with more choices for Arizonans. As the ranks of licensed Naturopathic Physicians continue to rise, their contributions to healthcare can only help to address the physician shortage concern.
About Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine and Medical Center
Located in Tempe, Ariz., and founded in 1993, Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine is an accredited higher learning institution. The Southwest Naturopathic Medical Center is located in Scottsdale, Ariz. The College offers a four-year medical program that trains students to become primary care physicians. Naturopathic medicine emphasizes the body’s innate ability to self-heal. It draws on a rich history of natural, nontoxic therapies in combination with current medical advances. The scope of practice includes all aspects of family and primary care using integrative and complementary treatment modalities such as acupuncture, homeopathy, clinical nutrition, botanical medicine, manipulation, and pharmacology. For more information, visit www.scnm.edu.
* U.S. Census Bureau, Arizona is the second fastest growing state in the country. Various sources have estimated that Arizona’s population will continue to experience explosive growth, with more than 5 million in 2000 to projections exceeding 14 million by 2030. In 2005 alone, more than 110,000 people are expected to relocate to the Valley. ** The School of Health Management and Policy at the W. P. Carey School of Business at Arizona State University and the Health and Disability Research Group with the University of Arizona Health Sciences Center, “ The Arizona Physician Workforce Study, Part I: The Number of Practicing Physicians 1992-2004”, report dated 2005. + Kerry Fehr-Snyder, “Doctor shortage hits Arizona, June 13, 2005”, “Crisis of care, Arizona faces physician shortage that’s far worse than in most states and isn’t easily cured, July 24, 2005” The Arizona Republic.
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According to Part I of The 2005 Arizona Physician Workforce Study**, Arizona has 207 doctors per 100,000 residents compared to a national average of 283 physicians per 100,000 population. While the study indicated an increase of physicians in active practice from 1994 to 2004, the physician to population ratio in Arizona is still far below the national average. This study places Arizona near the bottom of a ranking of states based on their supply of physicians. Earlier published news stories+ on this study suggest there is a physician shortage in Arizona and Arizonans could face longer commutes to find physicians, have fewer physicians to choose from, wait longer times to get appointments or surgeries, and spend longer times in waiting rooms to see already overbooked physicians.
Unfortunately, this study and subsequent articles are somewhat limited in scope as they neglect to include healthcare services being provided by the well educated, trained and licensed Naturopathic physicians working in Arizona. Arizona is home to more than 10% of the nation’s 3000 licensed Naturopathic doctors. There are currently about 400 Naturopathic physicians that are working to provide an array of medical services to both the populated and underserved communities of Arizona.
There are many contributing factors to the medical doctor (MD) shortage, including faulty forecasts that impacted residency programs paid by the federal government, decreases in applications to medical schools, a moratorium on building new medical schools, and the impact of growing numbers of aging baby boomers who will continue to require increased medical care in their old age. There are other dynamics at play, including the cost of managed healthcare, with 60% of insured Arizonans in managed-care plans. The reimbursement rates from HMOs are low, with many practices taking on additional patients and hours to sustain incomes.
Arizona is only one of 14 states that license naturopathic physicians and is home to one of four accredited naturopathic medical schools in the U.S. At Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine (SCNM), there are more than 340 students currently enrolled studying to become Naturopathic doctors. Since 2002 the number of graduates at SCNM has increased by 28%, each year outpacing the previous. Overall, Naturopathic medical education has been experiencing sustained growth. Currently, every year, the accredited schools collectively graduate over 600 naturopathic doctors, with more than 2000 students in their Naturopathic Doctor (ND) programs alone.
“Naturopathic physicians combine nutrition, exercise and stress reduction with conventional (prescription) and alternative (e.g., acupuncture and vitamins) therapies”, says Dr. Paul Mittman, President/CEO of Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine. “Given the epidemic of chronic diseases with roots in obesity and malnutrition, Naturopathic medicine is already helping improve health and healthcare in Arizona.”
Licensed naturopathic physicians attend a four-year medical school and study many of the same basic sciences and diagnostic techniques covered in traditional medical schools, however, naturopaths also study botanical medical, alternative therapies and acupuncture. They are trained in primary care and emphasize disease prevention and non-toxic approaches to therapy, such as lifestyle changes, nutrition and stress reduction. In Arizona, naturopathic doctors can prescribe most medications and perform minor surgeries.
The study of Naturopathic medicine continues to gain wider support, acceptance and legitimacy. To this point, in 1992 the National Institute of Health's (NIH) Office of Alternative Medicine, created by an act of Congress, invited leading naturopathic physicians (educators, researchers, and clinical practitioners) to serve on key federal advisory panels and to help define priorities and design protocols for state-of-the-art alternative medical research.
Naturopathic doctors often work side by side with conventional medical doctors to help meet the demand of patients for alternative choices in their healthcare. For the most part, Naturopathic doctors are not governed by managed-care companies and focus on spending the time with patients to treat the person from a more holistic approach, not a sole symptomatic approach. Patients are becoming increasingly frustrated with a five-minute office visit and the often quick-fix, pop-a-pill mentality type of healthcare they have sometimes received.
No one medical community can claim they can be everything to everyone. Naturopathic physicians offer patients a comprehensive scope of care that includes both alternative and integrative treatment choices. As the medical community explores solutions to alleviate the shortage of MDs in Arizona, the numbers of naturopathic doctors are rising to meet the call. This only helps to promote a better healthcare system overall with more choices for Arizonans. As the ranks of licensed Naturopathic Physicians continue to rise, their contributions to healthcare can only help to address the physician shortage concern.
About Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine and Medical Center
Located in Tempe, Ariz., and founded in 1993, Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine is an accredited higher learning institution. The Southwest Naturopathic Medical Center is located in Scottsdale, Ariz. The College offers a four-year medical program that trains students to become primary care physicians. Naturopathic medicine emphasizes the body’s innate ability to self-heal. It draws on a rich history of natural, nontoxic therapies in combination with current medical advances. The scope of practice includes all aspects of family and primary care using integrative and complementary treatment modalities such as acupuncture, homeopathy, clinical nutrition, botanical medicine, manipulation, and pharmacology. For more information, visit www.scnm.edu.
* U.S. Census Bureau, Arizona is the second fastest growing state in the country. Various sources have estimated that Arizona’s population will continue to experience explosive growth, with more than 5 million in 2000 to projections exceeding 14 million by 2030. In 2005 alone, more than 110,000 people are expected to relocate to the Valley. ** The School of Health Management and Policy at the W. P. Carey School of Business at Arizona State University and the Health and Disability Research Group with the University of Arizona Health Sciences Center, “ The Arizona Physician Workforce Study, Part I: The Number of Practicing Physicians 1992-2004”, report dated 2005. + Kerry Fehr-Snyder, “Doctor shortage hits Arizona, June 13, 2005”, “Crisis of care, Arizona faces physician shortage that’s far worse than in most states and isn’t easily cured, July 24, 2005” The Arizona Republic.
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Contact
Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine
Patricia Bannon - Marketing & PR Specialist
480-222-9222
www.scnm.edu
Patricia Bannon - Marketing & PR Specialist
480-222-9222
www.scnm.edu
Contact