[Regional differences in the number of anesthesiologists in Japan].

BACKGROUND: We have known the existence of regional differences in the number of medical doctors and the manpower shortage of anesthesiologists in Japan. METHODS: In the present investigation, we compared the number of regular members and Board Certified Anesthesiologists (BCA) of the Japan Society of Anesthesiologists (JSA) among prefectures and the Districts of JSA. RESULTS: Tokyo and Chugoku-Shikoku Districts of JSA had larger numbers of regular members of JSA per one hundred thousands population compared with Tokai, Kanto-Koshinetsu, and Tohoku Districts of JSA (the maximum difference among prefectures (MDAP) = 3.0 times and the maximum difference among the Districts (MDAD) = 2.4 times). Chugoku-Shikoku and Kyushu Districts of JSA had greater numbers of BCA per one hundred thousands population compared with Tokai, and Kanto-Koshinetsu Districts of JSA (MDAP = 3.1 times and MDAD = 2.5 times). Hokkaido District of JSA had the largest percentages of both members of JSA and BCA to all medical doctors [(MDAP = 2.3 times and MDAD = 1.7times) and (MDAP = 2.6 times and MDAD = 2.0 times), respectively)]. Tokyo District of JSA had the largest numbers of both members of JSA and BCA per one thousand hospital beds [(MDAP = 3.4 times and MDAD = 2.5 times) and (MDAP = 3.2 times and MDAD = 2.2 times), respectively)]. The regional differences in the number of regular members of JSA were bigger than those of the medical doctors (per one hundred thousands people (MDAP = 2.2 times and MDAD = 1.6 times) and per one thousand hospital beds (MDAP = 2.4 times and MDAD = 2.3 times), respectively]. CONCLUSIONS: There are remarkable regional differences in the number of regular members and BCA of JSA among prefectures and the Districts of JSA. We suspect that the regional differences in the number of anesthesiologists would affect the quality and system of corresponding clinical practice.