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Physicians, Dentists,
and Registered Nurses
Physicians
In 2004, there were 89,143
active physicians licensed to practice
in California (Table 22) for a ratio of
248 physicians for every 100,000 California
residents.
Sources: Border States includes data
from Arizona Medical Board (2004), and
Arizona Board of Osteopathic Examiners
in Medicine and Surgery (2004), California
Department of Consumer Affairs (2004),
New Mexico Health Policy Commission (2003),
and Texas State Board of Medical Examiners
(2003); U.S. from U.S. Department of Health
and Human Services, Health Resources and
Services Administration, Bureau of Health
Professions (2000).
- There were 8,499 physicians in the
California Border Counties; this was
276 physicians for every 100,000 people
living within 62 miles of the Border.
- When compared to the State ratio
of 248, the physician to population
ratio in the California Border Counties
(276 per 100,000) was higher than the
state ratio, while the Border States
ratio of 219 per 100,000 was lower than
both.
- The ratio for the counties within
62 miles of the Border was similar
to the U.S. physician to population
ratio of 278 per 100,000 (Table 22).
- Within California, there was some
variation by geographic region as there
were 227 and 279 physicians per 100,000
in counties between 62 and 300 miles
of the Border and those more
than 300 from the U.S.-Mexico Border,
respectively.
- In counties within 62 miles of
the Border, in 2000 there were 63
primary care physicians and 124 specialty
care physicians per 100,000 (Table 23).[33]
The highest ratio of primary care and
specialty care physicians was located
in counties more than 300 miles from
the U.S.-Mexico Border with 75 and
133, respectively. Statewide, the ratio
for primary care and specialty care
physicians (67 per 100,000 and 122 per
100,000, respectively) was similar to
those counties located within 62
to 300 miles from the U.S.-Mexico Border
(63 per 100,000 and 115 per 100,000,
respectively).[34]
Dentists
In 2004, there were 28,584 active dentists
licensed to practice in California for
a ratio of 80 dentists for every 100,000
California residents (Table 24).
Sources: Border States includes data
from Arizona State Board of Dental Examiners
(2004), California Department of Consumer
Affairs (2004), New Mexico Health Policy
Commission (2003), and Texas State Board
of Dental Examiners (2003); U.S. from
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services,
Health Resources and Services Administration,
Bureau of Health Professions (2000).
- There were 2,445 dentists in the California
counties within 62 miles of the U.S.-Mexico
Border. There were 79 dentists
in the Border Counties for every 100,000
people living in the area.
- The dentist to population ratio in
the counties within 62 miles of the
U.S.-Mexico Border was similar to
the State ratio of 80; this was somewhat
higher than the Border States ratio
of 65 and the U.S. ratio of 61.
- Across California, there was some
variation in dentists by geographic
region; there were 74 and 89 dentists
per 100,000 in counties between 62
and 300 miles from the Border and
those more than 300 miles from the
U.S.-Mexico Border, respectively.[35]
Registered
Nurses
In 2004, there were 258,800 active registered
nurses (RNs) licensed to practice in California
for ratio of 721 RNs for every 100,000
California residents (Table 25).
Sources: Border States includes data
from Arizona State Board of Nursing (2004),
California Department of Consumer Affairs
(2004), New Mexico Health Policy Commission
(2003), and Texas Board of Nurse Examiners
(2003); U.S. from U.S. Department of Health
and Human Services, Health Resources and
Services Administration, Bureau of Health
Professions (2000).
- There were 24,556 registered nurses
in the counties within 62 miles of
the U.S.-Mexico Border. The RN
to population ratio (796 per 100,000
population) in this region was higher
than the ratio for the State or the
Border States (721 and 692, respectively).
- The ratio of nurses in California
was lower than in the U.S. (782 per
100,000 population).
- The supply of registered nurses across
California fluctuates by geographic
region with a ratio of 652 per 100,000
in the counties between 62 and 300
miles from the U.S.-Mexico Border,
and a much higher ratio of 821 per 100,000
in the counties more than 300 miles
from the Border.
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