Elevating the Safety Net was prompted by a growing physician shortage that threatens L.A. Care members.
A UC San Francisco study found that California faces a shortage of 8,800 primary care physicians by 2030. Low-income areas which are dependent on the safety net are especially vulnerable.
Martin Luther King, Jr. Hospital already reports a shortfall of 500 primary care physicians and 700 specialists.
The Department of Health and Human Services recommends at least 60 primary care physicians per 100,000 people, with 80 being preferable, but the number is just 56 in L.A. County.
As part of our mission to provide access to quality health care and protect the safety net, the L.A. Care Board of Governors committed up to $31 million for the initiative, which will expand in the coming years.
Each new physician could treat up to 2,000 new patients in L.A. County.
The initiative launched in 2018 with a provider recruitment program, a medical school loan repayment program, and full medical school scholarships. It has grown to include:
- A residency support program
- A $5 million grant to help launch a new medical education program on the campus of Charles R. Drew University
- A $5 million grant to KGI to help launch a Master of Science in Community Medicine program
- In-Home Supportive Services Training
- A health career internship program