The Utah Health Workforce: Highlights from the Health Workforce Profile

State Health Workforce Profiles Highlights Utah

Printer-friendly Utah Highlights (PDF - 41 KB)

• There were over 73,000 people employed in the health services sector in Utah in 2000, 7.0% of Utah‘s total workforce. Utah ranked 46th among states in per capita health services employment in 2000.
• Health services employment in Utah grew 55% between 1988 and 2000, while the state’s population grew by 33%, resulting in a net per capita growth of 17% in health services sector employment. This is somewhat lower then the national rate of per capita growth in the health services sector of 21%.
• The total population of Utah is projected to grow 24% between 2000 and 2020, while the population 65 and over is projected to grow 116% between 2000 and 2020.
• In 1999, Utah had low rates of deaths due to cancer and heart disease. The rate of deaths due to firearms was below the national rate. There were low incidences of TB and reported AIDS cases in 2000.
• In 2000, Utah ranked 47th in the number of hospital beds per 100,000 population.

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

Medicine

• There were more than 3,500 active patient care physicians in Utah in 2000. With 156 physicians per 100,000 population, Utah fell below the national ratio of 198 physicians per 100,000. Utah ranked 44th among states in physicians per capita.
• Utah had 52 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 Utah graduated 106 new physicians in 2000. Utah ranked 35th among the 46 states with medical schools in number of medical school graduates. On a per capita basis, Utah graduated 4.8 new physicians per 100,000 population, less than the national rate of 6.4 and ranked 32nd among the 46 states in medical school graduates per capita.
• There were 336 physician assistants practicing in Utah in 2000. This was equal to 15 physician assistants per 100,000 population, slightly above the national rate of 14.4.

Nursing

• There were nearly 15,650 licensed registered nurses (RNs) in Utah in 2000; more than 13,200 were employed in nursing. There were 589.7 RNs per 100,000 population in Utah in 2000, significantly less than the national rate of 780.2.
• In 2000, Utah ranked 45th among the states in the per capita employment of Licensed Practical/Vocational Nurses (LPNs), with 153.8 LPNs per 100,000 population as compared to the national rate of 240.8 per 100,000. Utah ranked 35th in the number of LPNs employed in 2000 with 3,450 workers.
• Utah had 833 nurse practitioners in 2000. This was equal to 37.1 nurse practitioners per 100,000 population, higher than the national rate of 33.7.
• With 91 certified nurse midwives in 2000, Utah had 4.1 certified nurse midwives per 100,000 population, compared to the national rate of 2.9. Utah ranked 14th among states in certified nurse midwives per capita.
• With 108 certified registered nurse anesthetists in 2003, Utah had 4.8 nurse anesthetists per 100,000 population, lower than the national rate of 9.3.

Dentistry, Pharmacy and Mental Health

• There were 1,521 dentists, 1,210 dental hygienists, and 2,710 dental assistants practicing in Utah in 2000. There were 67.8 dentists per 100,000 population in Utah in 2000, slightly higher than the national rate of 63.6. Utah ranked 15th in the nation in dentists per capita. The per capita ratio of dental hygienists was also slightly above the national rate. Utah ranked 3rd in the nation in dental
  assistants per capita.
• The number of dentists in Utah grew 39% between 1991 and 2000 while the state’s population grew 27%. The result was a 10% increase in dentists per capita, compared to a 16% increase nationwide.
• There were 1,460 pharmacists and 1,650 pharmacy technicians and aides practicing in Utah in 2000. Utah had 65.1 pharmacists and 73.5 pharmacy technicians and aides per 100,000 population in 2000, which ranked them 44th and 39th, respectively, among the 50 states.
• There were 147 psychiatrists, 1,080 psychologists, and 2,400 social workers in Utah in 2000. This was equal to 7 psychiatrists, 48.1 psychologists, and 107 social workers per 100,000 population. Utah ranked 41st among states in psychiatrists per capita, 9th among states in psychologists per capita, and 44th among states in social workers per capita.

Aides

• There were 3,060 home health aides and 7,530 nursing aides, orderlies, and attendants working in Utah in 2000. Utah had 136.4 home health aides and 335.7 nursing aides, orderlies, and attendants per 100,000 population in 2000, which ranked 30th and 42nd, respectively, among the 50 states.