Every county in West Central Georgia is facing a shortage of doctors, nurses, and pharmacists. The crisis is not isolated to our area; it’s a statewide issue. According to the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), with about 28,000 practicing physicians serving more than 11 million people, Georgia’s physician-to-patient ratio is 23% worse than the national average. And yet, just to maintain even that ratio, the state must add more than 8,000 physicians–including 2,100 in primary care alone–within the next five years. Worse still, as the population grows and ages, and as more physicians reach retirement age, that need could grow.
The Piedmont Columbus Regional is making a difference in reversing the shortage. More than 50 residents graduated from Piedmont Columbus Regional this summer through its Nurse, Family Medicine and Pharmacy programs. When established in 1972, the Family Medicine Residency Program at Piedmont Columbus Midtown became the first of its kind in Georgia and one of the first in the Southeastern United States.
More than 1,000 family physicians have graduated from the program, celebrating its 50th graduating class this year.
“Our goal is to train clinicians to be thoughtful, engaged professionals who are excellent healers,” said Chief Medical Officer Chris Edwards, M.D. “After many years of hard work and dedication, these graduates are well-equipped to live out the Piedmont Promise and make a positive difference in every life they touch for years to come.”…