Based on the articles I read, I concluded multiple reasons for decline among primary care physicians. The majority of primary care physicians are close to retiring and fewer physicians are available to fill the role. According to The Council on Graduate Medical Education (COGME), roughly one third of practicing physicians are primary care physicians and “that number is rapidly declining because of increased retirements and fewer new doctors to replace them” (1). Not only is the competition for experienced physician aspirants increasing; so are the costs accompanied with the employment process. It is recognized that primary care physicians are inadequately paid. This, sequentially, obstructs a doctor's capability to pay off student loans, which, …show more content…
In doing so, different levels of care are provided in tertiary and quaternary hospital settings and therefore, “primary physicians can be underrepresented in these settings” (1).
The thought of fewer primary care physicians is alarming. Everyone needs a physician they can routinely visit for check-ups, physicals, sicknesses, minor injuries, hospital visits and more. With the number of students specializing, there will always be a shortage of primary care physicians; however, schools are trying to reverse this trend, “exposing students to primary care doctors and more traditional primary care practice environments throughout the continuum of medical education” (1).
The Affordable Care Act (ACA) is reinforcing the primary care infrastructure. Payment and financial incentives, were also improved. “Primary care physician payment rates in the Medicaid program were increased to match Medicare payment levels” (2). Together, with these initiatives, more will be encouraged to practice primary