Primary docs should be paid more, specialists less.
We need primary care docs, physician's assistants, and telemedicine, all pulling together.
"It's really hard for your primary care doc who might need 1,000 doses to put out $10,000," said Dr. Harry Oken, an internist in Columbia, Md .He said his practice ordered about 1,500 doses but had received only about 50 by early November.
About 10 years ago, one World War II veteran was referred to me by a primary care doc.
I mentioned that I seem to be losing strength to my primary care doc at my last physical, and he matter-of-factly replied -- "You're getting old!" I must admit that this triggered the heck out of me.
Primary care docs don't always know when scans are really needed; one Australian study found that 34 of 50 CT scans ordered by general practitioners were unnecessary.
It is so well-tolerated we can change the way primary care docs address obesity for the majority of their patients," says Arena Chief Executive Jack Lief.
According to Kate Baicker, one of the Dartmouth economists, states with more general practitioners seem to spend less and have better quality care perhaps because primary care docs help make sure patients have the most basic, effective care.
We are seasoned clinicians and passionate students, primary care docs and health policy experts.
So with little fuss I volunteered the names of three primary care docs from my clinic.
There is already a shortage of primary-care docs.
