In a time where healthcare workers are extremely valuable to communities and states, New Mexico is experiencing a critical shortage of them.
Particularly bad is the situation in Colfax County, which leads all counties in the nation in their shortage of primary healthcare providers, according to NursingEducation.
Circumstances are so dire in New Mexico that currently greater than 850,000 New Mexicans live in areas with a shortage of dentists and dental health professionals. Adding to the danger of the situation is the fact that coronavirus variant cases continue to rise around the country, pressuring public health officials to once again implement restrictions and mandates to protect the public.
New Mexico has had struggles adding professional healthcare providers in the past. Since 2017, New Mexico has gained providers in just four of the 11 professions examined by the New Mexico Hospital Associaton: 89 Clinical Nurse Practitioners/Clinical Nurse Specialists (6.1%), 13 Physician Assistants (1.6%), one dentist (0.1%), and 137 Emergency Medical Technicians (2.2%). There was an observed modest decreases since 2017 in seven professions: 647 Registered Nurses (-5.5%), 198 Primary Care Physicians (-8.4%), three OB-GYNs (-1.1%), six general surgeons (-3.1%), 15 psychiatrists (-4.5%), nine Certified Nurse Midwives (-5.1%) and two Licensed Midwives (-4.8%).
Those who live in rural counties have had an especially difficult time gaining access to qualified healthcare professionals, meaning that New Mexico residents are even more affected by the shortage. In New Mexico, 34% of residents live in rural counties according to that same report.
In order for New Mexico to meet the national benchmark of 0.79 healthcare primary physicians per 1,000 population, significant progress will need to be made. The state will need an additional 206 primary care physicians to meet this benchmark.
New Mexico continues to try to find ways to attract healthcare professionals to the state, especially as the coronavirus pandemic experiences a second wave with cases trending up drastically in recent weeks.