A fter all the support for primary care providers over the years what have we received in return? Ten or so years ago medical students and newly licensed residents were given a number of carrots to entice them into primary care. Sign on bonuses of $20,000.00, offers to pay off medical school loans, and even plain straight cash handouts were offered. Back then there were several takers that entered into family practice and internal medicine. We already knew that there was a shortage of doctors entering into the field so it seemed like a good idea to toss some cash at them to bolster the numbers. Today after investing in these providers careers all we get back is "Go to the emergency department."
The deficit of primary care providers continues to grow. Trying to find a provider that is accepting new patients is like trying to win the lottery. In many instances it may take up to a full year or more before a patient can obtain a regular provider. But the battle is not over. Once you do get connected with a provider you have to wait several weeks and even months for an appointment for routine medical care. If you need a faster response, well, lets just say don't bother expecting your doctor will see you any time soon. If you call the offices of these providers and are lucky enough to have a person answer the phone and not a machine you get told many times to just go to the local emergency department.
Young energetic and talented resident please come into the world of primary care and we will pay all your medical school bills. We will give you a bonus check and we will offer you other incentives if you take care of us. So much for that working out.
So why is there such a problem with attracting primary care providers into the field? Well some of it is clearly money. Reimbursement rates for primary care are not attractive. These providers have to increase their patient loads to keep ahead money wise to the point that patients are often not getting the time they need with a provider. Liability costs are continuing to rise and play a significant role, and there are not enough hours in the day to all that needs to be done. There are other issues that plague the system too but the point here is that there isn't just one item. The big question is who is to blame? Can there be any blame directed at any one group?
In the end I think providing financial incentives is the correct way to entice would be doctors into primary care (nursing needs the same attention), but I think taking it a step further should be considered. Improving reimbursement rates so that providers don't have to see 30 or more patients a day to just make ends meet. As much as many of us may think that medicine is lucrative for the providers it actually is not once you balance out the hours spent working and the overhead costs of an office, staff, and liability. From where I sit medical providers at all levels need to be compensated fairly for what we all do. Society needs to realize that healthcare is at least as important as watching a bunch over grown men play sports - which we spend ludicrous amounts of money for. We must realize that investing in our health by ensuring there are enough access points and services available to ensure a high quality healthcare system well into the future is critical.
The deficit of primary care providers continues to grow. Trying to find a provider that is accepting new patients is like trying to win the lottery. In many instances it may take up to a full year or more before a patient can obtain a regular provider. But the battle is not over. Once you do get connected with a provider you have to wait several weeks and even months for an appointment for routine medical care. If you need a faster response, well, lets just say don't bother expecting your doctor will see you any time soon. If you call the offices of these providers and are lucky enough to have a person answer the phone and not a machine you get told many times to just go to the local emergency department.
Young energetic and talented resident please come into the world of primary care and we will pay all your medical school bills. We will give you a bonus check and we will offer you other incentives if you take care of us. So much for that working out.
So why is there such a problem with attracting primary care providers into the field? Well some of it is clearly money. Reimbursement rates for primary care are not attractive. These providers have to increase their patient loads to keep ahead money wise to the point that patients are often not getting the time they need with a provider. Liability costs are continuing to rise and play a significant role, and there are not enough hours in the day to all that needs to be done. There are other issues that plague the system too but the point here is that there isn't just one item. The big question is who is to blame? Can there be any blame directed at any one group?
In the end I think providing financial incentives is the correct way to entice would be doctors into primary care (nursing needs the same attention), but I think taking it a step further should be considered. Improving reimbursement rates so that providers don't have to see 30 or more patients a day to just make ends meet. As much as many of us may think that medicine is lucrative for the providers it actually is not once you balance out the hours spent working and the overhead costs of an office, staff, and liability. From where I sit medical providers at all levels need to be compensated fairly for what we all do. Society needs to realize that healthcare is at least as important as watching a bunch over grown men play sports - which we spend ludicrous amounts of money for. We must realize that investing in our health by ensuring there are enough access points and services available to ensure a high quality healthcare system well into the future is critical.