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National Center for Health Workforce Analysis
 

The Tennessee Health Workforce: Highlights from the Health Workforce Profile

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State Health Workforce Profiles
Highlights
Tennessee

Printer-friendly Tennessee Highlights (PDF - 128 KB)

  • There were more than 234,300 people employed in the health services sector in Tennessee in 2000, 8.8% of Tennessee’s total workforce. Tennessee ranked 22nd among the states in per capita health services employment.
  • Health services employment in Tennessee grew 36% between 1988 and 2000, while the state’s population grew by 18%, resulting in a net per capita growth of 15% in health services sector employment. This is less than the national rate of per capita growth in the health services sector of 21%.
  • The total population of Tennessee is projected to grow 14% between 2000 and 2020, while the population 65 and over is projected to grow 65% between 2000 and 2020.
  • In 1999, Tennessee had high rates of deaths due to heart disease, cancer, and firearms. The incidence of TB was above the national rate in 2000.
  • In 2000, Tennessee was above the national rate in the number of hospital beds per 100,000 population.

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

Medicine

  • There were more than 10,850 active patient care physicians in Tennessee in 2000. With 190 physicians per 100,000 population, Tennessee was slightly lower than the national ratio of 198 physicians per 100,000. Tennessee ranked 23rd among states in physicians per capita.
  • Tennessee had 64 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 Tennessee graduated 417 new physicians in 1999-00. Tennessee ranked 12th among the 46 states with medical schools in number of medical school graduates. On a per capita basis, Tennessee graduated more new physicians per 100,000 population (7.5) than did the entire United States (6.4) and ranked 16th among the 46 states in medical school graduates per capita.
  • There were 881 physician assistants practicing in Tennessee in 2000. This was equal to 15.4 physician assistants per 100,000 population, slightly higher than the national rate of 14.4.

Nursing

  • There were nearly 56,000 licensed registered nurses (RNs) in Tennessee in 2000; over 49,600 were employed in nursing. There were 870.1 RNs per 100,000 population in Tennessee in 2000, higher than the national rate of 780.2.
  • In 2000, Tennessee ranked 8th among the states in the number of Licensed Practical/Vocational Nurses (LPNs) employed in 2000 with 21,530 workers. Tennessee ranked 4th in the per capita employment of LPNs with 377.5 LPNs per 100,000 population, higher than the national rate of 240.8 per 100,000.
  • There were 2,325 nurse practitioners in Tennessee in 2000. This was equal to 40.8 nurse practitioners per 100,000 population, above the national rate of 33.7.
  • With 98 certified nurse midwives in 2000, Tennessee had 1.7 certified nurse midwives per 100,000 population, lower than the national rate of 2.9. Tennessee ranked 35th among states in certified nurse midwives per capita.
  • With 1,012 certified registered nurse anesthetists in 2003, Tennessee had 17.7 nurse anesthetists per 100,000 population, much higher than the national rate of 9.3. Tennessee had one of the highest ratios of nurse anesthetists per capita in the nation.

Dentistry, Pharmacy and Mental Health

  • There were 3,398 dentists, 1,580 dental hygienists, and 5,000 dental assistants practicing in Tennessee in 2000. There were 59.6 dentists per 100,000 population in Tennessee in 2000, below the national rate of 63.6. The per capita ratio of dental hygienists was also lower than the national rate.
  • The number of dentists in Tennessee increased 42% between 1991 and 2000 while the state’s population grew 15%. The result was a 23% increase in dentists per capita, compared to a 16% increase nationwide.
  • There were 4,790 pharmacists and 6,630 pharmacy technicians and aides practicing in Tennessee in 2000. Tennessee had 84 pharmacists and 116.2 pharmacy technicians and aides per 100,000 population in 2000, which ranked them 14th and 3rd, respectively, among the 50 states.
  • There were 478 psychiatrists, 1,460 psychologists, and 9,940 social workers in Tennessee in 2000. This was equal to 8.8 psychiatrists, 25.6 psychologists, and 174.3 social workers per 100,000 population. Tennessee ranked 32nd among states in psychiatrists per capita, 34th among states in psychologists per capita, and 20th among states in social workers per capita.

Aides

  • There were 5,780 home health aides and 29,630 nursing aides, orderlies, and attendants working in Tennessee in 2000. Tennessee had 101.3 home health aides and 519.5 nursing aides, orderlies, and attendants per 100,000 population in 2000, which ranked 43rd and 21st, respectively, among the 50 states.