Opportunity Newark - Initiative for a Competitive Inner City

Fig. 18: Physician Offices and Clinics in Essex County, 1994 to 2003
1100
1000
Number of
Physicians
995 1003 981
960
951
945
932
944
966 974
900
800
1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003
Source: U.S. Census, 1997 and County Business Patterns, 2004.
crisis.” 69 The Medical Society of New Jersey reported that
one New Jersey carrier’s premiums increased by 57 percent
to 87 percent between 2001 and 2003. 70 Further,
“numerous obstetricians and other physicians from several
New Jersey counties [including Essex County] have been
forced to restrict their practices, consider early retirement
or leave the state altogether, due to unaffordable premiums.”
71 Coupled with the demands of student loans and the
costs of establishing a private practice, medical malpractice
insurance costs make the challenges of establishing a
private practice overwhelming.
In areas where significant numbers of residents are insured,
private practitioners can be assured of being reimbursed
for their services, somewhat mitigating the high cost of
running a private practice. In Newark, however, roughly 30
percent of the adult population was uninsured in 2004. 72 As
a result, the city’s health care system is heavily reliant on
government funding and reimbursement, adding to physicians’
financial challenges.
Although Newark has a network of federally funded health
clinics, these resources are under utilized. 73 Primary-care
69 American Medical Association. Medical liability crisis map. 2006.
70 American Medical Association. America’s Medical Liability Crisis Backgrounder: New Jersey. 6/11/04.
71 Ibid.
72 New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services. Center for Health Statistics. Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System.
73 Interview with Dr. Alvaro Simmons. Newark Community Health Centers. 5/6/05.
OpportunityNewark: Jobs and Community Development for the 21st Century 40