Bayhealth is getting federal funds to help address physician shortages.
Bayhealth recently received $500,000 in American Rescue Plan Act funding through Kent County Levy Court for its Graduate Medical Education programs.
"So with that the Graduate Medical Education program was really part of Bayhealth's strategy for bringing young physicians into the area so they could get that experience and hopefully stay with us long-term," said Dr. Brintha Vasagar program director for Bayhealth’s Family Medicine Residency Program.
The programs have more than 70 physician residents working in community-based physician practices and in the hospital. The residents work in internal medicine, family medicine, general surgery, and emergency residency programs.
Since Delaware does not have a medical school, the Graduate Medical Education Program was started by Bayhealth in 2019.
"For Kent and Sussex Counties there's less than one doctor for every 2,000 people which qualifies us as being in a health professional shortage area, and we really see this problem of getting worse and worse and worse unless we do something because so many physicians are retiring and so few new physicians are moving to the state,” said Vasagar. “So that's why this money has been so critical for us to really help grow programming that brings young physicians into town."
Vasagar says the grant represents half of the $1 million grant Bayhealth will receive for the program. Bayhealth will receive the other $500,000 in the future.
