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The Florida Health Workforce: Highlights from the Health Workforce Profile

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State Health Workforce Profiles
Highlights
Florida

Printer-friendly Florida Highlights (PDF - 41 KB)

  • There were more than 635,500 workers employed in the health sector in Florida in 2000, 9.0% of Florida’s total workforce, close to the national rate of 8.8%. Florida ranked 31st among states in per capita health services employment.
  • Health services employment in Florida grew 56% between 1988 and 2000, while the state’s population grew by 30% during that period, resulting in a net per capita growth of 20% in health services sector employment, comparable to the national rate of growth (21%).
  • The total population of Florida is projected to grow 22% between 2000 and 2020, while the population 65 and over is projected to grow 63% during the same period.
  • In 1999, the rates of deaths due to cancer and heart disease were below their respective national rates. Florida had the highest rate of reported AIDS cases in the country in 2000.
  • In 2000, Florida ranked 20th among states in the number of hospital beds per 100,000 population.

Highlights of the findings about the health workforce in Florida are presented below:

Medicine

  • There were over 33,300 active patient care physicians in Florida in 2000. With 208 physicians per 100,000 population, Florida was higher than the national ratio of 198 physicians per 100,000. Florida ranked 11th among states in physicians per capita.
  • Florida had 70 active primary care physicians per 100,000 population in 2000, comparable to the national rate.
  • Medical schools in Florida graduated over 500 new physicians in 2000. Florida ranked 10th among the 46 states with medical schools in number of medical school graduates. Florida graduated fewer new physicians per 100,000 population (3.3) than did the entire United States (6.4) and ranked 40th among the 46 states with medical schools in medical school graduates per capita.
  • There were 2,604 physician assistants practicing in Florida in 2000. This was equal to 16.2 physician assistants per 100,000 population, above the national rate of 14.4.

Nursing

  • There were nearly 159,000 licensed registered nurses (RNs) in Florida in 2000; over 125,000 were employed in nursing. This was equal to 781.5 RNs per 100,000 population in Florida in 2000, comparable to the national rate of 780.2.
  • Florida ranked 4th among the states in the number of Licensed Practical/Vocational Nurses (LPNs) employed in 2000 with 42,860 workers. With 267 LPNs per 100,000 population as compared to the national rate of 240.8 per 100,000, Florida ranked 18th in the per capita employment of LPNs.
  • There were nearly 5,500 nurse practitioners in Florida in 2000. This was equal to 34.1 nurse practitioners per 100,000 population, comparable to the national rate of 33.7.
  • With 620 certified nurse midwives in 2000, Florida had 3.9 certified nurse midwives per 100,000 population, higher than the national rate of 2.9. Florida ranked 16th among states in certified nurse midwives per capita.
  • With more than 1,700 certified registered nurse anesthetists in 2003, Florida had 10.7 nurse anesthetists per 100,000 population, compared to the national rate of 9.3.

Dentistry, Pharmacy and Mental Health

  • There were 8,586 dentists, 5,970 dental hygienists, and 14,760 dental assistants practicing in Florida in 2000. There were 53.5 dentists per 100,000 population in Florida in 2000, below the national rate of 63.6. The per capita ratio of dental assistants was slightly above the national rate.
  • The number of dentists in Florida grew 38% between 1991 and 2000 while the state’s population grew 21%. The result was a 15% increase in dentists per capita, comparable to a 16% increase nationwide.
  • There were 13,150 pharmacists and 13,900 pharmacy technicians and aides practicing in Florida in 2000. Florida had 81.9 pharmacists and 86.6 pharmacy technicians and aides per 100,000 population in 2000, which ranked them 21st and 24th, respectively, among the 50 states.
  • There were 1,460 psychiatrists, 3,980 psychologists and 19,350 social workers in Florida in 2000. This was equal to 9.8 psychiatrists, 24.8 psychologists, and 120.6 social workers per 100,000 population. Florida ranked 27th among states in psychiatrists per capita, 36th in psychologists per capita, and 41st in social workers per capita.

Aides

  • Florida had 146.7 home health aides and 408.1 nursing aides, orderlies, and attendants per 100,000 population in 2000, which ranked 28th and 34th, respectively, among the 50 states.