Congressman Gregory F. Murphy, MD, presented “The Urologist Shortage” for the Grand Rounds in Urology audience in September 2021.

How to cite: Murphy, Gregory F. “The Urologist Shortage.” September 2021. Accessed Mar 2024. https://grandroundsinurology.com/congressman-greg-murphy-md-on-the-urologist-shortage/

Congressman Greg Murphy, MD, on the Urologist Shortage

Congressman Gregory F. Murphy, MD, a practicing urologist and the Representative from North Carolina’s 3rd District, considers the urologist shortage in the United States and how legislation could increase recruitment and lower the burden on practices and hospitals. After an introduction from E. David Crawford, MD, Editor-in-Chief of Grand Rounds in Urology and Professor of Urology at the University of California, San Diego, Rep. Murphy notes that while many practices and hospitals in the US are working hard to recruit urologists, there simply are not enough available. As a result, Rep. Murphy explains, advanced practice providers are taking on many of the roles urologists typically perform, perhaps going beyond the scope of what they should be doing. One solution, he suggests, is to graduate more urologists and he notes that the CARES Act is helping to do this by providing funding to add residency slots for urology. Rep. Murphy also observes that the expansion of telehealth, which provides good and efficient care, has reduced strain on urologists, although he warns that proposed legislation to lower the age of Medicare eligibility to 60 may lead to increased financial hardship for practices and hospitals. The conversation concludes with an in-depth discussion on telehealth between Rep. Murphy and Dr. Crawford that covers how urologists can use telehealth, as well as the potential pros and cons of legislation allowing interstate licenses.  

For more on legislation affecting urologists from GRU, check out The Veteran’s Prostate Cancer Treatment and Research Act.