US Indian Health Clinics Face Shortage Of Doctors, Nurses - Government Watchdog

US Indian Health Clinics Face Shortage of Doctors, Nurses - Government Watchdog

The US Indian Health Service is facing a shortage of doctors and nurses at its clinics serving Native American people in the United States, the Government Accountability Office said in a report on Wednesday.

WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 15th August, 2018) The US Indian Health Service is facing a shortage of doctors and nurses at its clinics serving Native American people in the United States, the Government Accountability Office said in a report on Wednesday.

"Indian Health Service clinics dont have enough doctors or nurses to provide quality and timely health care to American Indian and Alaska Native people," the report said.

Data from the Indian Health Service shows that there is an average vacancy rate of 25 percent for physicians, nurses, and other care providers, the report said.

The health agency struggles to recruit or retain health care providers because it has trouble matching local market salaries and does not have enough housing to meet the demand, the report said.

The report noted that the health agency tries to fill its vacancies by hiring temporary health care providers, but officials have said it costs more and provides no long-term solution.

The Indian Health Service is the Federal program providing health care to American Indians and Alaska Natives.