Distribution of physicians in family practice and other medical specialties in Texas, 1969-1973: a statistical review

This article documents distributional patterns of allopathic family practice physicians (including general practitioners) in Texas as compared with allopathic physicians in all other medical specialties in the state during the period 1969-1973, for which there are reliable data. Statistical analysis of this information shows that there was a significant difference between the growth of family practice compared to all other medical specialties in both metropolitan and nonmetropolitan counties. This study draws no conclusions that the medical needs in many of these areas are not being met, since patient travel may, to some degree, compensate for disproportionate physician distribution. There is no unanimous agreement on what constitutes an ideal ratio of physicians in any specialty to a population in so-called "medically underserved" areas.