The Michigan Health Workforce: Highlights from the Health Workforce Profile

State Health Workforce Profiles Highlights Michigan

Printer-friendly Michigan Highlights (PDF - 41 KB)

• There were over 404,000 people employed in the health sector in Michigan in 2000, 8.8% of Michigan’s total workforce, equal to the national rate. Michigan ranked 27th among states in per capita health services employment.
• Health services employment in Michigan grew 32% between 1988 and 2000, while the state’s population grew by 8% during that period, resulting in a net per capita growth of 22% in health services sector employment, comparable to the national growth rate of 21%.
• No growth is projected in the total population of Michigan between 2000 and 2020, while the population 65 and over is projected to grow 32% between 2000 and 2020.
• In 1999, the rate of deaths due to cancer and firearms were close to their respective national rates. Michigan was above the national rate in the rate of deaths due to heart disease.
• In 2000, Michigan had fewer hospital beds per 100,000 population than the national rate.

Highlights of the findings about the health workforce in Michigan are presented below. Medicine

• There were more than 19,400 active patient care physicians in Michigan in 2000. With 195 physicians per 100,000 population, Michigan was slightly lower than the national ratio of 198 physicians per 100,000. Michigan ranked 18th among states in physicians per capita.
• Michigan had 77 active primary care physicians per 100,000 population in 2000, higher than the rate of 69 per 100,000 for the entire country.
• Medical schools in Michigan graduated 593 new physicians in 1999-00. Michigan ranked 8th among the 46 states with medical schools in number of medical school graduates. On a per capita basis, Michigan graduated 6.0 new physicians per 100,000 population, compared to the national rate of 6.4 and ranked 21th among the 46 states with medical schools in medical school graduates per capita.
• There were 1,636 physician assistants practicing in Michigan in 2000. This was equal to 16.4 physician assistants per 100,000 population, above the national rate of 14.4.

Nursing

• There were nearly 100,800 licensed registered nurses (RNs) in Michigan in 2000; over 79,350 were employed in nursing. There were 797 RNs per 100,000 population in Michigan in 2000, slightly higher than the national rate of 780.2.
• In 2000, Michigan ranked 33rd among the states in the per capita employment of Licensed Practical/Vocational Nurses (LPNs), with 199.3 LPNs per 100,000 population as compared to the national rate of 240.8 per 100,000. Michigan ranked 11th in the number of LPNs employed in 2000 with 19,840 workers.
• Michigan had 1,190 nurse practitioners in 2000. This was equal to 12 nurse practitioners per 100,000 population, much lower than the national rate of 33.7.
• With 258 certified nurse midwives in 2000, Michigan had 2.6 certified nurse midwives per 100,000 population, lower than the national rate of 2.9. Michigan ranked 24th among states in certified nurse midwives per capita.
• With 1,447 certified registered nurse anesthetists in 2003, Michigan had 14.5 nurse anesthetists per 100,000 population, higher than the national rate of 9.3.

Dentistry, Pharmacy and Mental Health

• There were 6,454 dentists, 6,660 dental hygienists, and 10,780 dental assistants practicing in Michigan in 2000. There were 64.8 dentists per 100,000 population in Michigan in 2000, close to the national rate of 63.6. The per capita ratio of dental hygienists was well above the national rate.
• The number of dentists in Michigan increased 19% between 1991 and 2000, while the state’s population grew 6%. The result was a 12% increased in dentists per capita compared to a 16% increase nationwide.
• There were 6,970 pharmacists and 9,490 pharmacy technicians and aides practicing in Michigan in 2000. Michigan had 70 pharmacists and 95.3 pharmacy technicians and aides per 100,000 population in 2000, which ranked them 38th and 14th, respectively, among the 50 states.
• There were 962 psychiatrists, 4,040 psychologists and 20,590 social workers in Michigan in 2000. This was equal to 9.8 psychiatrists, 40.6 psychologists, and 206.8 social workers per 100,000 population. Michigan ranked 26th among states in psychiatrists per capita, 15th among states in psychologists per capita, and 13th among states in social workers per capita.

Aides

• There were 24,370 home health aides and 40,260 nursing aides, orderlies, and attendants working in Michigan in 2000.