The number of doctors in a community is an indicator of its ability to promote health, treat problems and maintain a healthy population. It is also a measure of how prepared the region is to combat health-related emergencies.

In 2016, our region had 34 doctors per 10,000 residents, compared to the state rate of 41. Orleans and Seneca counties reported having the lowest supply of doctors per 10,000 residents, at 4 and 3 per 10,000 residents in 2016. With several hospitals, doctors per residents were highest in Monroe (49) and Ontario (24) counties. Since 2000, the number of doctors per resident in the region has increased 11%, with the rate in every other county but Ontario and Monroe, decreasing significantly over that period.

Comparable national data were not available. Due to continual improvements in the methodology employed to account for physicians not responding to a survey and missing data, caution should be used in making comparisons across reporting years.