Georgia has only 64% of the family medicine physicians it needs and ranks 19th in the nation for healthcare shortage risk, according to a study released by Florida-based personal injury law firm FHV Legal that analyzed federal health data.
What’s Happening: The firm used data from the Health Resources and Services Administration, the Kaiser Family Foundation, and the U.S. Census Bureau to rank states on seven healthcare shortage metrics.
Georgia received a shortage score of 70.07 out of 100, with higher scores indicating more severe shortages.
What’s Important: Georgia has a 36% shortage of family medicine physicians, meaning the state has only 64% of the primary care doctors needed to meet population demand.
The state also falls below national averages for hospital infrastructure, with 2.23 hospital beds per 1,000 residents compared to the national average of 2.32, and 12.56 hospitals per 1 million people compared to 14.80 nationally.
By the Numbers:
- 64% adequacy in family medicine physicians (36% shortage)
- 137% adequacy in nurse practitioners (37% surplus)
- 103% adequacy in emergency medicine physicians (3% surplus)
- 92% adequacy in obstetrics and gynecology physicians (8% shortage)
- 25.57% of Georgia residents reported medication or critical supply shortages in the past 30 days, above the 23.29% national average
The Rankings: Nevada had the worst healthcare shortage score at 99.16, followed by New Jersey at 92.50 and Florida at 89.06.
Among Southern states, Georgia ranked behind Alabama (5th), Virginia (6th), South Carolina (7th), Tennessee (14th), and Kentucky (15th).
The Methodology: FHV Legal weighted family medicine physicians at 20% because primary care doctors serve as the gateway to healthcare for most patients. Hospital beds per 1,000 population, hospitals per 1 million population, medication and supply shortages, and nurse practitioners each received 15% weight. Emergency medicine physicians and obstetrics and gynecology physicians each received 10% weight.
Provider adequacy percentages show the ratio of healthcare professionals to population need. A score of 100% means supply meets demand. Scores below 100% indicate shortages.
What Experts Say: “When healthcare shortages limit access to qualified providers, patients may face delayed diagnoses, longer wait times, or inadequate treatment,” said Daniel Harwin, a medical malpractice attorney and partner at FHV Legal. “These systemic gaps can increase the risk of medical errors and adverse outcomes, making it essential for patients to understand their rights if they experience substandard care due to workforce limitations.”
The Context: The National Institute for Health Care Management says healthcare workforce shortages stem from an aging population, rising chronic disease rates, difficulty recruiting and retaining workers in rural areas, uneven provider distribution, burnout, and financial pressures.
A 2025 Georgia House study committee report found that Georgia ranks 41st nationally for physician-to-resident ratio with one doctor per 480 people. The report also found that 142 of Georgia’s 159 counties are designated as healthcare professional shortage areas.
B.T. Clark
B.T. Clark is an award-winning journalist and the Publisher of The Georgia Sun. He has 25 years of experience in journalism and served as Managing Editor of Neighbor Newspapers in metro Atlanta for 15 years and Digital Director at Times-Journal Inc. for 8 years. His work has appeared in several newspapers throughout the state including Neighbor Newspapers, The Cherokee Tribune and The Marietta Daily Journal. He is a Georgia native and a fifth-generation Georgian.
