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State of Medicine Report Finds that Demand for Health Care Will Increase

Pennsylvania’s graying population will increase demand for medical care over the coming years, according to the 2007 edition of the Pennsylvania Medical Society’s “The State of Medicine in Pennsylvania” report. 

The report shows that the state has seen substantial increases in the demand for medical care during the last five years.   

“Increasing demand for health services is a certainty. Baby boomers are aging, and as they age, they will have more and more need to see a physician,” said Daniel J. Glunk, president-elect of the Pennsylvania Medical Society.  

Baby boomers now compose 29 percent of all patients. By 2030, approximately 26 percent of Pennsylvania’s population will be 65 or older—up from 16 percent today—according to the Census Bureau, which typically gives conservative estimates. 

As baby boomers are aging, the frequency of their visits to doctors is increasing. Between 1993 and 2005, their visits to physicians increased by 20 percent—from 160 million visits nationally in 1993 to 281 million in 2005.  

Increases in the number of baby boomers won’t be the only reason why demand for care rises, the report found. 

“Because medical technology continues to improve, we are able to do more for people than we could before. These sophisticated techniques require more manpower and more resources,” Dr. Glunk said. 

In addition, people of every age group are now more inclined to seek health care because society has put greater emphasis on preventive care. 

The complexity of office visits is on the rise, with the number of patients who take six medications rocketing from 20 million in 1995 to 112 million in 2005.