It is estimated that more than 40 percent of practicing physicians in the U.S. will be over age 65 in the next 10 years, according to a Jan. 30 report from Medscape.
It is also estimated that 11.7 percent of people above 65 report cognitive decline. About 1 in 5 physicians over 70 might experience mild cognitive decline, while 1 in 15 might experience cognitive impairment, according to the report.
Age-related factors including reduced working memory, slowing of mental operations and reduced visual acuity may also become evident in physicians over 60.
Studies show that practitioners also become less likely to acquire new knowledge over time, according to the report.
The American Medical Association advocates for frequently reviewing professional competency, cognitive and motor capacity of late-career physicians to ensure they can provide adequate medical care.