The Indiana Health Workforce: Highlights from the Health Workforce Profile

State Health Workforce Profiles Highlights Indiana

Printer-friendly Indiana Highlights (PDF - 41 KB)

• There were more than 261,500 people employed in the health sector in Indiana in 2000, 8.9% of Indiana’s total workforce, comparable to the national rate of 8.8%. Indiana ranked 19th among states in per capita health services employment.
• Health services employment in Indiana grew 41% between 1988 and 2000, while the state’s population grew by 11% during that period, resulting in a net per capita growth of 27% in health services sector employment, higher than the national growth rate of 21%.
• The total population of Indiana is projected to grow 6% between 2000 and 2020, while the population 65 and over is projected to grow 46%.
• In 1999, the rates of deaths due to cancer, heart disease and firearms were above their respective national rates. The incidence of TB and reported AIDS cases were lower than their respective national rates in 2000.
• In 2000, Indiana was slightly above the national rate in the number of hospital beds per 100,000 population.

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

Medicine

• There were 10,175 active patient care physicians in Indiana in 2000. With 167 physicians per 100,000 population, Indiana was lower than the national ratio of 198 physicians per 100,000. Indiana ranked 38th among states in physicians per capita.
• Indiana had 57 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 Indiana graduated 264 new physicians in 1999-00. Indiana ranked 21st among the 46 states with medical schools in number of medical school graduates. Indiana graduated fewer new physicians per 100,000 population (4.4) than did the entire United States (6.4) and ranked 37th among the 46 states with medical schools in medical school graduates per capita.
• There were 424 physician assistants practicing in Indiana in 2000. This was equal to 7 physician assistants per 100,000 population, less than half the national rate of 14.4.

Nursing

• There were nearly 61,000 licensed registered nurses (RNs) in Indiana in 2000; over 46,200 were employed in nursing. This was equal to 759.1 RNs per 100,000 population in Indiana in 2000, slightly less than the national rate of 780.2.
• Indiana ranked 12th among the states in the per capita employment of Licensed Practical/Vocational Nurses (LPNs), with 309.1 LPNs per 100,000 population as compared to the national rate of 240.8 per 100,000. Indiana ranked 14th in the number of LPNs employed in 2000 with 18,830 workers.
• Indiana had 722 nurse practitioners in 2000. This was equal to 11.9 nurse practitioners per 100,000 population, substantially below the national rate of 33.7. Indiana had the lowest ratio of nurse practitioners per capita in the nation.
• With 36 certified nurse midwives in 2000, Indiana had 0.6 certified nurse midwife per 100,000 population, lower than the national rate of 2.9. Indiana had the lowest ratio of certified nurse midwives per capita in the nation.
• With 170 certified registered nurse anesthetists in 2003, Indiana had 2.8 nurse anesthetists per 100,000 population, well below the national rate of 9.3. Indiana had the second lowest ratio of nurse anesthetists per capita in the nation.

Dentistry, Pharmacy and Mental Health

• There were 3,216 dentists, 3,410 dental hygienists, and 4,640 dental assistants practicing in Indiana in 1998. There were 52.8 dentists per 100,000 population in Indiana in 2000, below the national rate of 63.6. The per capita ratio of dental assistants was also lower than the national rate.
• The number of dentists in Indiana grew 27% between 1991 and 2000 while the state’s population grew 9%. The result was a 17% increase in dentists per capita, comparable to the 16% increase nationwide.
• There were 5,280 pharmacists and 6,840 pharmacy technicians and aides practicing in Indiana in 2000. Indiana had 86.7 pharmacists and 112.3 pharmacy technicians and aides per 100,000 population in 2000, which ranked them 10th and 4th, respectively, among the 50 states.
• There were 406 psychiatrists, 2,010 psychologists and 10,210 social workers in Indiana in 2000. This was equal to 6.9 psychiatrists, 33.0 psychologists, and 167.6 social workers per 100,000 population. Indiana ranked 43rd among states in psychiatrists per capita, 26th among states in psychologists per capita, and 24th among states in social workers per capita.

Aides

• There were 8,800 home health aides and 28,450 nursing aides, orderlies, and attendants working in Indiana in 2000.