Introduction: The shortage of anesthesiologists and their geographical maldistribution are major issues facing Japanese health care policy. This study aimed to examine the distribution and retention patterns of anesthesiologists, define the factors contributing to their retention.
Method: A longitudinal retrospective study based on a secondary national survey analysis was carried out. I performed a descriptive study to identify anesthesiologists' retention patterns between 1996 and 2016. I then used a multivariable logistic regression analysis to test the variables associated with the retention of anesthesiologists.
Results: The total number of anesthesiologists in Japan increased by 82% between 1996 and 2016. The results also showed an increasing inequality in their distribution between urban and rural areas. The anesthesiologists' annual retention rate from 2014 to 2016 was reported to be 89.8%, reflecting an improvement of 3.7% during the study period. The chances of continuing to practice as an anesthesiologist were higher a) with 15–29 years of experience, b) working at an academic and other hospitals, and c) working in the intermediate geographical region.
Discussion: Although the number of anesthesiologists in Japan increased rapidly between 1996 and 2016, their geographical maldistribution also increased. The low number of anesthesiologists in rural areas may contribute toward the insufficient number of surgeries performed in rural areas.
