Childhood and Adult Obesity and New Healthcare Reforms Effects on Gastroenterologists

The field of expertise in the medical field known as Gastroenterology is a large and very essential specialty in the realm of medicine. It is known for providing continuing and complete care for the digestive system and its related systems, organs, tissues, and functions. It includes the gastroenterological care needs of all age groups, sexes, areas on the body, and illnesses. In the United States there are 921,904 total physicians. Of those, over two thirds are male. The average Gastroenterology physician earns between $110,000 and $204,000.

While there may be some differences in schooling, both M.D.'s and D.O.'s are in the same way authorized and able to become Gastroenterology physician. A Gastroenterology general practitioner ordinarily has at least 12-14 years of education including a B.A. (undergraduate) in a healthcare or science related area, a medical doctorate (graduate, MD or DO, an accredited Internal Medicine residency (post-graduate), and lastly an accredited Gastroenterology fellowship.

Gastroenterologist physicians not only diagnose and treat illness, additionally they give preventive checkups and health-risk assessments, immunizations, screening tests, and healthy lifestyle counseling.

One growing and hazardous problem facing Americans and the medical community today is obesity. In the last 20 years, obesity rates in children and adults both skyrocketed at a staggering rate, and physicians are gravely concerned. According to the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP), there are approximately 112,000 deaths per year that are attributed to conditions related to preventable obesity. Preventable obesity can be defined as obesity that could be prevented through diet, exercise, and appropriate health care.

Obesity rates in adolescents are dengerously frightening. Overweight children not only tend to grow up to be heavy adults, they are also at a much higher and much earlier risk for damaging health effects such as diabetes, hypertension, and unhealthy levels of lipids and fats. The litany of adverse health effects from obesity is endless. There are a few factors and behaviors that put Americans at risk, such as eating out. Eating out usually means fast food with poor nutritional value or at a restaurant where nutritional information is unavailable. Even meals at home are becoming more processed, which means more sodium and fats. Socially acceptable increased food portion sizes have also grown. Technology and convenience are also contributing to a more sedentary lifestyle with less walking, biking, and physical activity.

Another issue facing Gastroenterologist physicians, as with other specialties, is aging. Up to 1/3rd of the current 921,904 practicing physicians will be considering retiring by the year 2020. A shortage of primary care physicians, such as Gastroenterology physicians, is less of a unique concern as it would be to Family Practice or Internal Medicine due to the choice of younger doctors to choose to further specialize. The reason behind this is that further specialization beyond general care is needed for higher salaries to pay for their costly education. The scarcity is expected to hit rural and underserved areas the hardest.

Even with the health bill finally signed into law its effect on our health care is not known. By 2014 their will be an enlargement in the enrollment into health care insurance programs. This increase when, combined with the long term aging of the inhabitants, should push demand for services and therefore cost higher. However, no one yet knows what will happen to reimbursement rates from Medicare and this new program. The question is will there be rate a cut of reimbursement rates for different specialties by Medicare and this new program that may conversely become a failing factor of the income of all disciplines, including Gastroenterology.

Clearly the Obama administration has its hands full. We are getting older and there are less young people to carry this Herculean financial feat. The Sins of the Fathers.....

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