via Molly Gamble on Beckers Hospital Review
Figures show that while the physician workforce has expanded by roughly 110,000 physicians since 2000, the number of independent providers has dropped by at least 18 percent in that same timeframe. Physicians were defined as independent if they owned at least part of a practice.
2000
- Practicing physicians: 682,470
- Percent independent: 57 percent
- Estimated number of independent physicians: 389,008
2001
- Practicing physicians: 690,369
- Percent independent: 55 percent
- Estimated number of independent physicians: 381,228
2002
- Practicing physicians: 698,359
- Percent independent: 53 percent
- Estimated number of independent physicians: 373,603
2003
- Practicing physicians: 706,441
- Percent independent: 52 percent
- Estimated number of independent physicians: 366,131
2004
- Practicing physicians: 714,617
- Percent independent: 50 percent
- Estimated number of independent physicians: 358,809
2005
- Practicing physicians: 722,888
- Percent independent: 49 percent
- Estimated number of independent physicians: 351,632
2006
- Practicing physicians: 731,254
- Percent independent: 47 percent
- Estimated number of independent physicians: 344,600
2007
- Practicing physicians: 739,718
- Percent independent: 46 percent
- Estimated number of independent physicians: 337,708
2008
- Practicing physicians: 748,279
- Percent independent: 44 percent
- Estimated number of independent physicians: 330,954
2009
- Practicing physicians: 756,939
- Percent independent: 43 percent
- Estimated number of independent physicians: 324,334
2010
- Practicing physicians: 765,700
- Percent independent: 42 percent
- Estimated number of independent physicians: 317,848
2011
- Practicing physicians: 774,562
- Percent independent: 41 percent
- Estimated number of independent physicians: 313,703
2012
- Practicing physicians: 783,526
- Percent independent: 39 percent
- Estimated number of independent physicians: 305,575
2013 (Projected)
- Practicing physicians: 792,594
- Percent independent: 36 percent
- Estimated number of independent physicians: 289,127