The hospitals in the Hudson Valley are suffering a doctor shortage that threatens to get worse, according to a new report by the state’s leading hospital association.

“Access to Care in Crisis: Physicians in Short Supply” details the struggles health-care facilities face in hiring and keeping physicians and the loss of services available to communities because of the problem. The report is based on a survey of 120 hospitals and health systems in New York state. The complete report is available on the Hospital Association of New York’s Web site.

Here are some of the highlights:

• There’s a need for about 148 doctors in the seven counties north of New York City.

• More than half — 57 percent — of northern metropolitan hospitals reported times when emergency departments lacked coverage for particular specialties, forcing patients to travel further to receive emergency care.

• To cope with shortages, the northern metropolitan hospitals had to employ temporary staff to cover needed services.

• Hospitals upstate are having a difficult time recruiting candidates because of geographic locations, lack of candidates, inability kto provide a competitive salary and practice demands.