While demand for health care has grown over the past two years, the number of physicians has also grown, according to new preliminary data from the Hawaii/Pacific Basin Area Health Education Center at the University of Hawaii.

The latest 2012 physician licensure survey showed the state gained 100 doctors over the past two years, even though it was projected to lose that amount. The state, however, continues to be short 600 doctors — virtually unchanged from two years ago.

"The shortage is stable; it hasn’t gotten bigger, that’s the good news," said center director Kelley Withy. "We expected it to grow. So we’re actually keeping up with the increase in demand, but we aren’t narrowing the gap. The demand is going up all the time, so we need our supply to go up."

Among the reasons the shortage has remained unchanged is that fewer doctors retired over the past two years, and more came into the field, Withy said.

"People aren’t retiring as early. Hopefully we are attracting more providers," she said. "If less people leave that would make all the difference."

Other survey results showed that 65 percent of physicians are practicing solo or in small groups; 80 percent are taking new patients; and 71 percent accept new patients covered by Medicare, the government insurance program for seniors.

In 2010 the center estimated the state could be short 1,230 doctors to care for an estimated 280,496 baby boomers who will be 65 or older by 2020. But the shortage could remain at 600 by 2020 if late retirements continue and more doctors choose to practice here, Withy said.

"We’re projecting we may maintain the shortage we currently have by 2020, but that’s still too short," Withy said.

State lawmakers are considering bills intended to alleviate the physician shortage. They include a loan repayment program for doctors who work in rural communities, as well as measures that would increase Medicaid reimbursements for hospitals and outpatient care and inject $40 million into the hospital system, allowing for the hiring of more physicians, said Senate Health Committee chairman Josh Green, a Hawaii island emergency room physician.

"As the years progress our shortage will get worse, which is why we’re focusing on building residency programs and loan repayment programs to draw physicians to Hawaii," he said. "I’m encouraged that we didn’t lose ground this year, but as the population grows and as our physician base ages, we’re going to have serious concerns in five to 10 years. Our physician population is two years older from the last study, and we’re still playing catch-up."

An estimated 1,335, or 41 percent, of Hawaii doctors will turn 65 in the next decade, AHEC projected in 2010. The analyses are based on the physician licensure survey taken by providers every two years.