"The Doctor Can't See You Now"

[deleted87716]

From the Graham Center: "The Doctor Can't See You Now" is a wonderfully organized documentary on the value of primary care and its potential role in improving the health care system. It uses a small piece of Graham Center data on its first page that was published in Access Denied, a report done collaboratively with the National Association of Community Health Centers in 2007.

http://www.insideout.org/documentaries/primarycare/

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[Shinken]

That was a very well put-together presentation. I was impressed.

Unfortunately, we can have all the documentaries and magazine articles we want, but nothing will change unless reimbursement is improved and the overall image (or "respect" if you will) of the specialty changes.

I see a lot of articles and editorials in magazines such as FPM, AFP and JFP, but that's like preaching to the choir. Only Family docs read those. The letters and articles I've seen in more mainstream publications like the WSJ are very negative towards primary care (and most of the negativity comes from our colleagues in other specialties! How sad is that?).

It's very sad to me when I rotate at large academic hospitals and see how Family Medicine is viewed in contrast to other specialties. No wonder med students don't want to match into it. As far as me, I'm staying in my unopposed, medium-sized community hospital program where the Family docs are treated the way they should be.

 

[deleted87716]

Unfortunately, we can have all the documentaries and magazine articles we want, but nothing will change unless reimbursement is improved and the overall image (or "respect" if you will) of the specialty changes.

So...what are you suggesting? That nothing can change until there's change?

Something has to happen first. Change isn't an event, it's a process. It has to start somewhere.

 

[Shinken]

Something has to happen first. Change isn't an event, it's a process. It has to start somewhere.

I've been reading articles and opinion pieces and data graphs for a long time, and all paint a very bleak picture of a future without primary care. All extol the virtues of primary care. Yet, nothing will really change until the people that matter are convinced of the value of primary care.

A random article here, a website there, it's pretty useless and not really a good "start." People that are good at lobbying and debating and are going to Washington and sitting in Medicare meetings, etc. are the people that will make the difference. I'm grateful for those people because if it was up to me, we'll all be in trouble.