Primary care catastrophe

Yet another powerful article demonstrates that Primary Care (PC) in the US is underpaid and facing a massive shortage - creating a crisis in access to care. One fact in the article that was particularly compelling was that 50% of PC physicians are over age 55. So we currently have a shortage of PCs and very few new physicians are pursuing a practice in PC. Our shortage crisis will become a catastrophe without a new healthcare policy. 

Unfortunately, the article is light on solutions.

One fact not well known is that increased access to PC materially lowers healthcare costs AND improves the quality of care.

Opportunities to improve PC access exist (see www.thejourneys-end.org). Hopefully, our new Secretary of HHS will aggressively address this serious health issue.