Tracking the workforce: the American Society of Clinical Oncology workforce information system

Abstract

Purpose: In anticipation of oncologist workforce shortages projected as part of a 2007 study, the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) worked with a contractor to create a workforce information system (WIS) to assemble the latest available data on oncologist supply and cancer incidence and prevalence. ASCO plans to publish findings annually, reporting on new data and tracking trends over time.

Methods: THE WIS REPORT IS COMPOSED OF THREE SECTIONS: supply, new entrants, and cancer incidence and prevalence. Tabulations of the number of oncologists in the United States are derived mainly from the American Medical Association Physician Masterfile. Information on fellows and residents in the oncology workforce pipeline come from published sources such as Journal of the American Medical Association. Incidence and prevalence estimates are published by the American Cancer Society and National Cancer Institute.

Results: The WIS reports a total of 13,084 oncologists working in the United States in 2011. Oncologists are defined as those physicians who designate hematology, hematology/oncology, or medical oncology as their specialty. The WIS compares the characteristics of these oncologists with those of all physicians and tracks emerging trends in the physician training pipeline.

Conclusion: Observing characteristics of the oncologist workforce over time allows ASCO to identify, prioritize, and evaluate its workforce initiatives. Accessible figures and reports generated by the WIS can be used by ASCO and others in the oncology community to advocate for needed health care system and policy changes to help offset future workforce shortages.

Figure 1.

Number of oncologists (MDs and doctors of osteopathic medicine [DOs]). (*) Active physicians (MDs and DOs, excluding residents/fellows) who specified hematology/oncology, medical oncology, or hematology as their primary specialty in the American Medical Association Census of Physicians. Physicians are considered active if their major professional activity is something other than semi-retired, retired, temporarily not in practice, or not in practice for some other reason.

Figure 2.

Percentage of first-year internal medicine (IM) subspecialty fellows by subspecialty. (*) Of all fellows in program year 1 (PY1) positions in IM subspecialty programs (excluding interventional cardiology and clinical cardiac electrophysiology) accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME), the percentage in hematology, hematology/oncology, and medical oncology programs. (†) Of all fellows in PY1 positions in IM subspecialty programs (excluding interventional cardiology and clinical cardiac electrophysiology) accredited by the ACGME, the percentage in selected IM subspecialties.