Many recent studies point to the fact that in several years from now the United States will be faced with a doctor shortage. This will specifically affect primary care doctors. These are the doctors you see when you are feeling or having something wrong with you in a general sense. They help guide you towards finding a specialist and aiding in preventative measures.
The American Medical Association has said it will support through financial incentives medical students who choose to go into primary care. However, medical students feel the paperwork and charting required of primary care physicians is very tedious and difficult when the system is not built to treat chronically ill patients.
President-elect Barack Obama will have a tough time charting through the teritory of making sure there are enough doctors to the people that need this. This will be crucial in the future and is a necessary issue that needs to be addressed by those supporting health changes.
For more information read “Where Have All the Doctors Gone?”by the New York Times
It’s scary to think that we may experience a severe doctor shortage in the future. I’m curious if that includes all types of doctors, not just primary care. For example, what about dentists? Who will take care of our dental health if there are not enough dentists out there for all of us?
From what I have heard, it applies the most to primary care physicians. Although It seems as if all other specialties will be affected to some degree.
The solution involves institutional change and people knowing how to take care of themselves. However, that can only do so much if the availability is not there.