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The Massachusetts Health Workforce: Highlights from the Health Workforce Profile

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State Health Workforce Profiles
Highlights
Massachusetts

Printer-friendly Massachusetts Highlights (PDF - 41 KB)

  • There were more than 344,000 people employed in the health sector in Massachusetts in 2000, 10.5% of Massachusetts’ total workforce, well above the national rate of 8.8%. Massachusetts ranked 2nd among states in per capita health services employment.
  • Health services employment in Massachusetts grew 21% between 1988 and 2000, while the state’s population grew by 6% during that period, resulting in a net per capita growth of 14% in health services sector employment, below the national growth rate of 21%.
  • The total population of Massachusetts is projected to grow 6% between 2000 and 2020, while the population 65 and over is projected to grow 27% between 2000 and 2020.
  • In 1999, the rate of deaths due to cancer was close to the national rate and the rate of deaths due to heart disease was lower than the national rate. Massachusetts had the fewest deaths due to firearms of any state in the country.
  • In 2000, Massachusetts had fewer hospital beds per 100,000 population than the national rate.

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

Medicine

  • There were more than 17,500 active patient care physicians in Massachusetts in 2000. With 276 physicians per 100,000 population, Massachusetts was much higher than the national ratio of 198 physicians per 100,000. Massachusetts ranked 1s t among states in physicians per capita.
  • Massachusetts had 82 active primary care physicians per 100,000 population in 2000, higher than the rate of 69 per 100,000 for the entire country.
  • Medical schools in Massachusetts graduated nearly 600 new physicians in 1999-00. Massachusetts ranked 9th among the 46 states with medical schools in number of medical school graduates. On a per capita basis, Massachusetts graduated more new physicians per 100,000 population (9.3) than did the entire United States (6.4) and ranked 11th among the 46 states with medical schools in medical school graduates per capita.
  • There were 1,093 physician assistants practicing in Massachusetts in 2000. This is equal to 17.2 physician assistants per 100,000 population, higher than the national rate of 14.4.

Nursing

  • There were more than 91,600 licensed registered nurses (RNs) in Massachusetts in 2000; nearly 75,800 were employed in nursing. There were 1,191.4 RNs per 100,000 population in Massachusetts in 2000, significantly more than the national rate of 780.2.
  • Massachusetts ranked 18th among the states in the number of Licensed Practical/Vocational Nurses (LPNs) employed in 2000 with 15,690 workers. With 246.6 LPNs per 100,000 population as compared to the national rate of 240.8 per 100,000, Massachusetts ranked 24th in the per capita employment of LPNs.
  • There were 5,170 nurse practitioners in Massachusetts in 2000. This was equal to 81.3 nurse practitioners per 100,000 population, giving Massachusetts one of the highest ratios of nurse practitioners per capita in the nation.
  • With 398 certified nurse midwives in 2000, Massachusetts had 6.2 certified nurse midwives per 100,000 population, well above the national rate of 2.9. Massachusetts also had one of the highest ratios of certified nurse midwives per capita in the nation.
  • With 465 certified registered nurse anesthetists in 2000, Massachusetts had 7.3 nurse anesthetists per 100,000 population, lower than the national rate of 9.3.

Dentistry, Pharmacy and Mental Health

  • There were 5,669 dentists, 3,800 dental hygienists, and 4,640 dental assistants practicing in Massachusetts in 2000. There were 89.1 dentists per 100,000 population in Massachusetts in 2000, well above the national rate of 63.6. Massachusetts ranked 2nd in the nation in dentists per capita. The per capita ratio of dental hygienists was also high.
  • The number of dentists in Massachusetts increased 36% between 1991 and 2000 while the state’s population grew 6%. The result was a 28% growth in dentists per capita compared to a 16% increase nationwide.
  • There were 4,650 pharmacists and 6,220 pharmacy technicians and aides practicing in Massachusetts in 2000. Massachusetts had 73.1 pharmacists and 97.8 pharmacy technicians and aides per 100,000 population in 2000, which ranked them 30th and 11th, respectively, among the 50 states.
  • There were 1,772 psychiatrists, 4,280 psychologists and 15,070 social workers in Massachusetts in 2000. This was equal to 28.8 psychiatrists, 67.3 psychologists, and 236.9 social workers per 100,000 population. Massachusetts ranked 1st among states in psychiatrists per capita, 3rd among states in psychologists per capita, and 6th among states in social workers per capita.

Aides

  • There were 15,740 home health aides and 39,390 nursing aides, orderlies, and attendants working in Massachusetts in 2000. Massachusetts had 247.4 home health aides and 619.2 nursing aides, orderlies, and attendants per 100,000 population in 2000, which ranked 10th and 12th, respectively, among the 50 states.