In this powerful episode, we confront one of the most urgent issues facing New Mexico today: a deepening shortage of healthcare workers that threatens the wellbeing of communities across the state.
The evidence is overwhelming. New Mexico is the only state in the country to experience a decline in practicing physicians—losing a staggering 30% of its primary care doctors between 2017 and 2021. Today, 32 of New Mexico’s 33 counties are designated as “Health Professional Shortage Areas.”
A major factor behind this trend is the state’s soaring malpractice insurance costs. According to the American Medical Association, New Mexico had the second-largest increase in malpractice insurance premiums in the U.S. from 2021 to 2022 and ranks second in the nation for the number of medical malpractice lawsuits per capita. These conditions have made it extremely difficult to recruit new providers—and are prompting many current physicians to retire early or relocate.
At the same time, New Mexico’s population is aging, placing increased demand on a shrinking healthcare workforce. Without bold intervention, access to care will continue to erode.
The policy report offers concrete, achievable reforms, including:
· Capping legal fees in malpractice cases to control insurance costs
· Providing debt relief to attract and retain medical graduates
· Joining interstate medical licensure compacts, allowing providers from other states to practice more easily in New Mexico
As the episode draws to a close, Nathan and Gonzales issue a call to action: New Mexicans must make their voices heard. They stress that reversing this crisis requires public
engagement and pressure on state lawmakers to move beyond the status quo and take decisive steps to safeguard access to healthcare.
Host: Jim Falk
Co-host: Peter Smith
Guests: David Gonzales, MD, Chief Medical Officer, CHRISTUS St. Vincent
Fred Nathan, Founder & Executive Director, Think New Mexico
Show Notes: “How to Solve New Mexico’s Health Care Worker Shortage”