ACP: Career Counseling - Community Demographic Analysis

Residents & Fellows

Community Demographic Analysis

by Patrick C. Alguire, MD, FACP
Director, Education and Career Development, ACP

Moving to a new community to begin a medical practice is an exciting opportunity for most young physicians, but how do you know if the community will meet your professional needs? The following worksheet is designed to help you assess a community before you commit to a contract. It has been adapted from Evaluating Professional Opportunities in Medicine, by Paul L. Herndon. Much of the information on the survey can be obtained by speaking with local physicians, government or business groups.

I. The Competitive Environment

A. Physicians

1. How many physicians are in your potential practice environment
In internal medicine?	______
In competitive specialties (general practice or family medicine)?	______
2. Are these physicians accepting new patients
In internal medicine?	______
In competitive specialties?	______
3. What is the average physician age
In internal medicine?	______
In competitive specialties?	______
4. How many new physicians have moved into the community practice area in the past five years
In internal medicine?	______
In competitive specialties?	______

B. Hospitals

1. How many hospitals are in your community?	______
2. Do these hospitals provide competitive outpatient services
In primary care?	______
In counseling?	______
3. Does your primary hospital have
A department of internal medicine?	______
An open staff policy?
Restricted privileges?	______
4. How many new physicians have been added to the staff within the past year
In internal medicine?	______
In competitive specialties?	______

C. Other Facilities

1. Are competitive, alternative health care delivery centers operating in the community? How many
Free standing emergency centers?	______
Primary care centers?	______
Diagnostic testing centers?	______
Industrial workers' compensation clinics?	______

D. Managed Care

1. How many managed care systems function within the community that are
HMO?	______
IPA?	______
PPO?	______
Others?	______
2.Which of the following systems are major competitive forces within the community?
HMO	______
IPA	______
PPO	______
Others	______
3.Which of the following systems is likely to affect your practice?
HMO	______
IPA	______
PPO	______
Others	______
4.Which of the following systems are viewed favorably by the medical community?
HMO	______
IPA	______
PPO	______
Others	______
5.Do the major businesses/industries in the community require, or will they require, their employees to join these prepaid systems?
HMO	______
IPA	______
PPO	______
Others	______

II. Community Demographics

A. Population

1. What is the population of the community?	______
2. How much did the population change in the past five years?	______
3. Is the community considered transient?	______
4. What is the population of the area from which your patients will come?	______

B. Age Distribution

1. Demographic Information	______
Number of new families that moved into the community in the past year?	______
Number of new houses?	______
Number of new rental units?	______
Number of new employment applications?	______
2. Geriatric
Number of retirement/nursing homes?	______
Number of families with older members living with them?	______
Do these age distributions correspond with the services that you want to provide?	______

C. Economic

1. What is the percentage of unemployment in your area?	______
2. Which of the following businesses and industries are present in your area?
Technology	______
Heavy Industry	______
Agriculture	______
Service	______
Government	______
Other	______
3. Are new businesses opening?	______
4. Are established businesses hiring or laying off?	______
5. What is the average income of the practice area?	______