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The Georgia Health Workforce: Highlights from the Health Workforce Profile

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State Health Workforce Profiles
Highlights
Georgia

Printer-friendly Georgia Highlights (PDF - 41 KB)

  • There were nearly 299,000 workers employed in the health sector in Georgia in 2000, 7.7% of Georgia’s total workforce, less than the national rate of 8.8%. Georgia ranked 37th among states in per capita health services employment.
  • Health services employment in Georgia grew 106% between 1988 and 2000, while the state’s population grew by 30% during that period, resulting in a net per capita growth of 58% in health services sector employment, more than twice the national rate of growth (21%).
  • The total population of Georgia is projected to grow 16% between 2000 and 2020, while the population 65 and over is projected to grow 78% during the same period.
  • In 1999, the rates of deaths due to heart disease and firearms were higher than their respective national rates. In 2001, Georgia was among states with the highest rates of TB cases and AIDS cases in the country.
  • In 2000, Georgia was slightly below the national rate in the number of hospital beds per 100,000 population.

Highlights of the findings about the health workforce in Georgia are presented below.

Medicine

  • There were over 13,700 active patient care physicians in Georgia in 2000. With 167 physicians per 100,000 population, Georgia was lower than the national ratio of 198 physicians per 100,000. Georgia ranked 39th among states in physicians per capita.
  • Georgia had 56 active primary care physicians per 100,000 population in 2000, lower than the rate of 69 per 100,000 for the entire country.
  • Medical schools in Georgia graduated over 370 new physicians in 2000. Georgia ranked 17th among the 46 states with medical schools in number of medical school graduates. On a per capita basis, Georgia graduated fewer new physicians per 100,000 population (4.7) than did the entire United States (6.4) and ranked 34th among the 46 states with medical schools in medical school
    graduates per capita.
  • There were 1,232 physician assistants practicing in Georgia in 2000. This was equal to 15 physician assistants per 100,000 population, just above the national rate of 14.4.

Nursing

  • There were nearly 68,000 licensed registered nurses (RNs) in Georgia in 2000; Over 55,800 were employed in nursing. There were 678.6 RNs per 100,000 population in Georgia in 2000, less than the national rate of 780.2.
  • Georgia ranked 10th among the states in the number of Licensed Practical/Vocational Nurses (LPNs) employed in 2000 with 20,000 workers. With 242.9 LPNs per 100,000 population, slightly higher than the national rate of 240.8, Georgia ranked 25th in the per capita employment of LPNs.
  • There were over 2,260 nurse practitioners in Georgia in 2000. This was equal to 27.5 nurse practitioners per 100,000 population, lower than the national rate of 33.7.
  • With 389 certified nurse midwives in 2000, Georgia had 4.7 certified nurse midwives per 100,000 population, higher than the national rate of 2.9. Georgia ranked 9th among states in certified nurse midwives per capita.
  • With nearly 750 certified registered nurse anesthetists in 2003, Georgia had 9 nurse anesthetists per 100,000 population, comparable to the national rate of 9.3.

Dentistry, Pharmacy and Mental Health

  • There were 5,018 dentists, 4,760 dental hygienists, and 5,160 dental assistants practicing in Georgia in 2000. There were 60.9 dentists per 100,000 population in Georgia in 2000, slightly lower than the national rate of 63.6. Georgia ranked 23rd in the nation in dentists per capita. The per capita ratio of dental assistants was lower than the national per capita rate.
  • The number of dentists in Georgia grew 80% between 1991 and 2000 while the state’s population grew 24%. The result was a 45% increase in dentists per capita compared to a 16% increase nationwide.
  • There were 6,020 pharmacists and 6,560 pharmacy technicians and aides practicing in Georgia in 2000. Georgia had 73.1 pharmacists and 79.7 pharmacy technicians and aides per 100,000 population in 2000, which ranked them 29th and 30th, respectively, among the 50 states.
  • There were 749 psychiatrists, 1,110 psychologists and 7,360 social workers in Georgia in 2000. This was equal to 9.8 psychiatrists, 13.5 psychologists, and 89.4 social workers per 100,000 population. Georgia ranked 25th among states in psychiatrists per capita, 48th in psychologists per capita, and 47th in social workers per capita.

Aides

  • Georgia had 78 home health aides and 379.7 nursing aides, orderlies, and attendants per 100,000 population in 2000, which ranked 48th and 38th, respectively, among the 50 states.