The largest obstacle facing the healthcare reform law might not be the Supreme Court or an election year, but a meager foundation of primary care physicians, according to a Washington Post report.
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act will need 30,000 more PCPs by 2015 in order to succeed, but the current environment isn't doing much to close that workforce gap. Financial incentives are stacked in the favor of specialists, who earn $75.45 an hour compared to PCPs' $29.58. Throughout their career, specialists are expected to earn $3.5 million more than PCPs. Specialty residencies also bring more money to hospitals, further aligning incentives against PCPs.
There are also social stigmas attached to PCPs and specialists. The news story cited a report that explained cardiology areas of medical campuses might include fountains and artwork, while "the mental image of the primary care offices is a necessarily full waiting room of a practice where physicians see 40 or more patients a day," according to the report.
But recent developments suggest medical students may cooperate with the country-wide need for PCPs. The White House has launched its Primary Care Residency Expansion program at 82 hospitals. Medical students are eligible if they're dedicated to primary care and work in underserved areas. In its first year, all slots in the program were filled.
Patient Satisfaction Levels Similar for Primary Physicians, Hospitalists
Primary Care Workforce Stats: Uneven Geographic Distribution Persists
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act will need 30,000 more PCPs by 2015 in order to succeed, but the current environment isn't doing much to close that workforce gap. Financial incentives are stacked in the favor of specialists, who earn $75.45 an hour compared to PCPs' $29.58. Throughout their career, specialists are expected to earn $3.5 million more than PCPs. Specialty residencies also bring more money to hospitals, further aligning incentives against PCPs.
There are also social stigmas attached to PCPs and specialists. The news story cited a report that explained cardiology areas of medical campuses might include fountains and artwork, while "the mental image of the primary care offices is a necessarily full waiting room of a practice where physicians see 40 or more patients a day," according to the report.
But recent developments suggest medical students may cooperate with the country-wide need for PCPs. The White House has launched its Primary Care Residency Expansion program at 82 hospitals. Medical students are eligible if they're dedicated to primary care and work in underserved areas. In its first year, all slots in the program were filled.
Related Articles on Hospitals and Primary Care Physicians:
Family Physicians Earn Half as Much as Interventional Diagnostic RadiologistsPatient Satisfaction Levels Similar for Primary Physicians, Hospitalists
Primary Care Workforce Stats: Uneven Geographic Distribution Persists