America is Losing its Primary Care Doctors

Breast and prostate cancer screening guidelines recommend shared decision-making where patients review their medical and family histories and other risk factors with their primary care doctors and decide when to start getting mammograms or PSA tests. The problem with this approach is that the US is facing a critical shortage of primary care physicians or PCPs. Over the last decades, the number of general practitioners, internists, and family doctors has dwindled. Medical students say they can't afford to go into these fields because they're the least compensated and must pay off student loan debts. Many veteran primary care providers say they struggle daily with poor reimbursements from private insurers and public health programs and have to endure hours of administrative paperwork, leading to burnout. It's no wonder that now, only about a quarter of the nation's physicians are PCPs. A recent study showed that more than 100 million Americans don't have a primary care doctor.

This trend is alarming because primary care physicians have long been the backbone of our medical system. They help you manage your health. They treat you when you're sick and help you get specialty care if needed. Accurately diagnosing a patient can be time-consuming, especially regarding more intricate conditions. Having a solid doctor-patient relationship can make a huge difference. Seeing the same doctor for routine checkups and sick visits helps increase your comfort level and your doctor's knowledge of your medical and family history. They know your daily challenges and your lifestyle habits. This knowledge not only increases the likelihood of a correct diagnosis, but it's also essential for catching symptoms of health problems early before they become severe.

In addition to treating you when problems occur, primary care providers help patients by:

  • Pointing out steps to improve their health, like quitting smoking, drinking less, getting more sleep, or losing weight.

  • Making sure patients are up to date on vaccines

  • Ordering and going over lab work with you

  • Making sure patients stay on top of cancer and other prevention screening tests like mammograms, colonoscopies, and pap smears.

  • Helping patients manage chronic conditions like diabetes, heart disease, and hypertension

  • Helping patients access advanced care such as surgery or another hospital procedure,  or a specialist like a cardiologist when needed

Unlike other doctors, primary care providers consider patients' overall health and advise them over their lifespans. What's especially sad is the loss of these doctors is occurring at a time when we need them even more. The American population is aging and sicker due to preventable chronic conditions like diabetes, heart disease, and obesity.

 

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