Primary care, the basic medical care that people get when they visit their doctors for routine physicals and minor problems, could fall apart in the United States without immediate reforms, the American College of Physicians said on Monday.
“Primary care is on the verge of collapse,” said the organization, a professional group that certifies internists, in a statement. “Very few young physicians are going into primary care and those already in practice are under such stress that they are looking for an exit strategy.”
U.S. doctors have long complained that reimbursement policies of both Medicare and private insurers reward a “just-in-time” approach, instead of preventive care that would save money and keep patients healthier.
“Medicare will pay tens of thousands of dollars…for a limb amputation on a diabetic patient, but virtually nothing to the primary care physician for keeping the patient’s diabetes under control,” said Bob Doherty, senior vice president for the ACP.
The ACP cited an American Medical Association survey that found 35 percent of all physicians nationwide are over the age of 55 and will soon retire.
In 2003, only 27 percent of third-year internal medicine residents actually planned to practice internal medicine, the group said, with others planning to go into more lucrative specialty jobs.
“Primary care physicians — the bedrock of medical care for today and the future — are at the bottom of the list of all medical specialties in median income compensation,” the ACP said.
The group, which represents 119,000 doctors and medical students in general internal medicine and subspecialties, joins others that warn the U.S. health care system is untenable.
Source: Rueters
“A drop in Medicare payments will not only force me to stop taking Medicare patients but could force me out of business,” agreed Dr. Kevin Lutz, a solo practitioner in Denver.
The fact is preventative care has never even started in the US. Until it does, Family Doctors will be over-run with patients that could have prevented the condition or treated themselves at home if they were educated. This will effect the elderly, young and middle aged patients if we do not learn how to take care of ourselves and make this specialty more appealing to young doctors. THE BEST WAY TO TREAT A DISEASE IS TO PREVENT IT!
Dr. Benzinger
