Primary Care Declining?

Reuters provides an ominous story about the fate of primary care, from a new report issued by the American College of Physicians. ACP has at times seemed, at least to this observer, a bit too academic- and subspecialty-focused for the good of its general-internist rank-and-file. This probably got better after its merger with the American Society of Internal Medicine back in 1998.

In any event, the article is worth a look for sure. Dr. Hedberg (ACP President) and the internal staff that fostered this rather stern warning, deserve a great deal of credit for shedding more light on an emerging crisis. As someone who both writes about policy and lives the life as a half time primary care internist, this blogger fervently hopes that Congress and the public will wake up and smell the coffee before all the good "primaries" die off.

Dr. Osler is turning over in his grave.