[Regional discrepancies of numbers of anesthesiologists and certified training hospitals in Japan]

Abstract

Background: We reported previously the existence of regional discrepancies in the numbers of anesthesiologists to the general population, the numbers of all medical doctors and hospital beds in Japan. In the present study, we investigated the regional discrepancies of the numbers of anesthesiologists and hospitals with department of anesthesiology from medical facility's point of view in Japan.

Methods: We compared the numbers of regular members, Board Certified Anesthesiologists (BCAs) and Certified Training Hospitals (CTHs) of the Japan Society of Anesthesiologists (JSA) to the general hospitals among forty-seven prefectures and nine Districts of JSA. Moreover, we compared the numbers of the general hospitals and CTHs to the general population.

Results: There were significant correlation coefficients between the number of the general hospitals and the number of JSA regular members or BCAs or CTHs, and the general population and the number of the general hospitals or CTHs in all prefectures. The mean number of JSA regular members per one general hospital was 0.96 persons and the maximum difference among all prefectures (MDAP) was 4.0 times. Tokyo District of JSA had the largest numbers (1.96 persons) of JSA regular members per one general hospital and the maximum difference among all Districts (MDAD) was 2.8 times. The mean number of BCAs per one general hospital was 0.54 persons and the MDAP was 4.2 times. Tokyo District of JSA had the largest numbers (1.01 persons) of BCAs per one general hospital and the MDAD was 2.6 times. The percentage of CTHs to all general hospitals was 9.1% and the MDAP was 5.4 times. The MDAD was 1.9 times. The mean number of the general hospitals per one hundred thousands population was 7.25 facilities and the MDAP was 4.3 times. Kyushu District of JSA had the largest numbers (11.50 facilities) but Tokai District of JSA had the smallest numbers (5.24 facilities) of the general hospitals per one hundred thousands population and the MDAD was 2.1 times. The mean number of CTHs per one hundred thousands population was 0.66 facilities and the MDAP was 3.3 times. Hokkaido District of JSA had the largest numbers (0.93 facilities) and Chugoku-Shikoku District of JSA had the second largest numbers (0.87 facilities) but Tokai District of JSA had the smallest numbers (0.45 facilities) of CTHs per one hundred thousands population and the MDAD was 2.1 times.

Conclusions: There are remarkable regional discrepancies in the numbers of anesthesiologists and CTHs to the general hospitals and in the number of CTHs to the general population in Japan. We suspect that the regional discrepancies in the field of anesthesiology would influence the quality and form of corresponding clinical practice.