The Kansas Health Workforce: Highlights from the Health Workforce Profile

State Health Workforce Profiles Highlights Kansas

Printer-friendly Kansas Highlights (PDF - 41 KB)

• There were more than 126,000 people employed in the health sector in Kansas in 2000, 9.6% of Kansas’ total workforce, higher than the national rate of 8.8%. Kansas ranked 13th among states in per capita health services employment.
• Health services employment in Kansas grew 42% between 1988 and 2000, while the state’s population grew by 9% during that period, resulting in a net per capita growth of 30% in health services sector employment, higher than the national growth rate of 21%.
• The population of Kansas is projected to grow 12% between 2000 and 2020, while the population 65 and over is projected to grow 46% between 2000 and 2020.
• In 1999, the rates of deaths due to cancer and heart disease were below their respective national rates. The incidence of TB and reported AIDS cases were significantly lower than their respective national rates in 2000.
• In 2000, Kansas ranked 8th among states in the number of hospital beds per 100,000 population.

Highlights of the findings about the health workforce in Kansas are presented below

Medicine

• There were more than 4,700 active patient care physicians in Kansas in 2000. With 175 physicians per 100,000 population, Kansas was lower than the national ratio of 198 physicians per 100,000. Kansas ranked 31st among states in physicians per capita.
• Kansas had 69 active primary care physicians per 100,000 population in 2000, equal to the rate for the entire country.
• Medical schools in Kansas graduated 169 new physicians in 1999-00. Kansas ranked 30th among the 46 states with medical schools in number of medical school graduates. On a per capita basis, Kansas graduated 6.3 new physicians per 100,000 population, comparable to the national rate of 6.4 and ranked 20th among the 46 states with medical schools in medical school graduates per
  capita.
• There were 435 physician assistants practicing in Kansas in 2000. This is equal to 16.2 physician assistants per 100,000 population, higher than the national rate of 14.4.

Nursing

• There were more than 29,100 licensed registered nurses (RNs) in Kansas in 2000; nearly 23,800 were employed in nursing. This was equal to 883.1 RNs per 100,000 population in Kansas in 2000, higher than the national rate of 780.2.
• Kansas ranked 19th among the states in the per capita employment of Licensed Practical/Vocational Nurses (LPNs), with 260.3 LPNs per 100,000 population, higher than the national rate of 240.8 per 100,000. Kansas ranked 30th in the number of LPNs employed in 2000 with 7,010 workers.
• There were more than 1,300 nurse practitioners in Kansas in 2000. This was equal to 49 nurse practitioners per 100,000 population, much higher than the national rate of 33.7.
• With 46 certified nurse midwives in 2000, Kansas had 1.7 certified nurse midwives per 100,000 population, lower than the national rate of 2.9. Kansas ranked 36th among states in certified nurse midwives per capita.
• With 414 certified registered nurse anesthetists in 2003, Kansas had 15.4 nurse anesthetists per 100,000 population, higher than the national rate of 9.3.

Dentistry, Pharmacy and Mental Health

• There were 1,685 dentists, 2,020 dental hygienists, and 2,840 dental assistants practicing in Kansas in 2000. There were 62.6 dentists per 100,000 population in Kansas in 2000, slightly below the national rate of 63.6. The per capita ratios of dental hygienists and dental assistants were higher than their respective national rates.
• The number of dentists in Kansas increased 38% between 1991 and 2000 while the state’s population grew 8%. The result was a 28% increase in dentists per capita compared to a 16% increase nationwide.
• There were 2,170 pharmacists and 1,890 pharmacy technicians and aides practicing in Kansas in 2000. Kansas had 80.6 pharmacists and 70.2 pharmacy technicians and aides per 100,000 population in 2000, which ranked them 23rd and 43rd, respectively, among the 50 states.
• There were 278 psychiatrists, 950 psychologists and 3,270 social workers in Kansas in 2000. This was equal to 10.5 psychiatrists, 35.3 psychologists, and 159.1 social workers per 100,000 population. Kansas ranked 23rd among states in psychiatrists per capita, 24t among states in psychologists per capita, and 39th among states in social workers per capita.

Aides

• There were 4,490 home health aides and 18,520 nursing aides, orderlies, and attendants working in Kansas in 2000. Kansas had 166.8 home health aides and 687.8 nursing aides, orderlies, and attendants per 100,000 population in 2000, which ranked 24th and 5th, respectively, among the 50 states.