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AILING OVERSIGHT: TOUGH PILLS TO SWALLOW

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WHERE
HAWAIIS
LICENSED
PHYSICIANS
ARE BASED
As of October 2015

= 100
MEDICAL DOCTORS

While Hawaii has more licensed physicians per 100,000 residents than any other
state, about half the roughly 9,700 doctors
live outside the state. Most are based on
the mainland. Some get Hawaii licenses because they practice here part of the year.
Some do so because they intend to eventually move here or want that as an option.
Others retire from their Hawaii practices
and move elsewhere but maintain a local
license. Some, like radiologists, maintain licenses in multiple states so they can practice telemedicine across state borders. Here
is a breakdown of where Hawaii-licensed
physicians have their addresses:

DOCTOR OF OSTEOPATHY

TOTAL

LANAI

11

MOLOKAI

DEMAND
FOR
DOCTORS
OUTSTRIPS
SUPPLY
SHORTAGE

KAUAI
STATE

192

15

177

KAUAI

23

412

42

472

HAWAII

430
OAHU

DEMAND

SUPPLY

SHORTAGE

PERCENT

3,690

2,801

889

24%

DEMAND

SUPPLY

SHORTAGE

PERCENT

188

115

73

39%

SHORTAGE BY ISLAND

MAUI

389

Proponents of a new licensing compact say it

eventually could help attract more physicians
to Hawaii, easing a growing shortage. A University of Hawaii study recently estimated Hawaii was short nearly 900 doctors. The supply
numbers in the study dont match the number
of licensed physicians in Hawaii because the
analysis was based on a variety of factors, including a full-time equivalency approach (essentially hours devoted to patient care, not
number of individual doctors). The report used
2014 data, which showed only 3,594 actively
practicing Hawaii physicians in nonmilitary
settings. Using the FTE approach, the charts
below show the specialties in each county
most affected by the shortage.

TOP 10 SHORTAGES BY SPECIALTY

SPECIALTY

DEMAND

Critical care
1.3
Neonatal-perinatal
1
Pediatric endocrinology*
0.2
Pediatric hematology/oncology* 0.3
Pediatric cardiology*
0.5
Pediatric gastroenterology*
0.2
Pediatric neurology*
0.3
Endocrinology
1.2
Vascular surgery
0.6
Neurological surgery
1
MAUI

SUPPLY

FTE SHORTAGE PERCENT

0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0.1
0.05
0.1

1.3 100%
1 100%
0.2 100%
0.3 100%
0.5 100%
0.2 100%
0.3 100%
1.1 91.7%
0.55 91.7%
0.9
90%

DEMAND

SUPPLY

SHORTAGE

PERCENT

425

306

119

28%

TOP 10 SHORTAGES BY SPECIALTY

SPECIALTY

DEMAND

Colorectal surgery
0.8
Geriatrics
1.5
Neonatal-perinatal
2.4
Pediatric endocrinology*
0.5
Pediatric hematology/oncology* 0.8
Pediatric rheumatology*
0.1
Pediatric cardiology*
1.2
Pediatric neurology*
0.6
Thoracic surgery
2.3
Rheumatology
2.1

3,499

220

3,719

HAWAII ISLAND

SUPPLY

FTE SHORTAGE PERCENT

0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0.25
0.37

0.8 100%
1.5 100%
2.4 100%
0.5 100%
0.8 100%
0.1 100%
1.2 100%
0.6 100%
2.05 89.1%
1.73 82.4%

DEMAND

SUPPLY

SHORTAGE

PERCENT

554

327

227

41%

MAINLAND

TOP 10 SHORTAGES BY SPECIALTY

SPECIALTY

DEMAND

Colorectal surgery
Neonatal-perinatal
Pediatric rheumatology*
Pediatric cardiology*
Pediatric gastroenterology*
Pediatric neurology*
Plastic surgery*
Neurological surgery
Infectious disease
Allergy and immunology
OAHU

1
3
0.1
1.5
0.5
0.7
4.5
2.9
5.3
2.8

SUPPLY

FTE SHORTAGE PERCENT

0
0
0
0
0
0
0.75
0.5
1
0.65

1
3
0.1
1.5
0.5
0.7
3.75
2.4
4.3
2.15

100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
83.3%
82.8%
81.1%
76.8%

DEMAND

SUPPLY

SHORTAGE

PERCENT

2,523

2,053

470

19%

TOP 10 SHORTAGES BY SPECIALTY

SPECIALTY

com

4,401

489 4,890

FOREIGN

63

63

Pediatric endocrinology
Infectious disease
Colorectal
surgery
com
General surgery
General and family practice
Pathology
Pediatric gastroenterology*
Pediatric cardiology*
Pulmonology
Neurology

DEMAND

SUPPLY

FTE SHORTAGE PERCENT

2.7
0.5
26.1 10.03
4.4
2
77.1 35.88
349.1 181.28
56.2 29.28
2.6
1.55
7.4
4.5
36.5 22.59
47.1 29.84

2.2
16.07
2.4
41.22
167.82
26.92
1.05
2.9
13.91
17.26

* Pediatric specialty numbers need further study to verify accuracy.

Sources: Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, Federation of State Medical Boards, Hawaii Physician Workforce Assessment Project report, Dr. Kelley Withy
GRAPHIC BY MARTHA HERNANDEZ / MHERNANDEZ@STARADVERTISER.COM

Dr. Niraj Desai, chairman of the Hawaii Medical Board, and gerontologist Cullen Hayashida, a former public member of the
board, share their insights on the panels chief job of protecting the public. Video is available at 808ne.ws/ailing-oversight.

81.5%
61.6%
54.5%
53.5%
48.1%
47.9%
40.4%
39.2%
38.1%
36.6%