Every other week, the Primary Care Collaborative (PCC) gathers major new stories, opinion pieces, research articles, case studies and more covering primary care.
Want to submit a piece? Feel free to email the piece to PCC Communications Associate Maximilian Sandefer at msandefer@thepcc.org.
New Resource: Trusted Partnerships: How Primary Care Can Navigate Mistrust in Medicine
The PCC
On May 12, the PCC and the ABIM Foundation hosted a webinar exploring how strong, ongoing relationships between Americans and primary care can help overcome challenges created by growing mistrust in health care. Watch a recording of the webinar and read our summary.
Primary Care Access and Investment
The downward spiral of independent primary care: Why the math no longer works
Robert Resnik, Medical Economics
The piece explores the financial pressures driving independent primary care practices toward consolidation or closure. Rising operational costs, reimbursement challenges and administrative complexity are making it increasingly difficult for smaller practices to remain sustainable.
Will Primary Care Physicians Soon Be Prescribing Blind?
Carol M. Mangione and Michael Barry, MedPage Today
In the wake of HHS firing the two remaining chairs of the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, this commentary discusses the importance of preserving the integrity and independence of the organization which plays a major role in shaping evidence-based preventive care recommendations. The authors argue that weakening trust in preventive screening guidance could undermine primary care’s ability to deliver consistent, patient-centered preventive services and improve long-term population health outcomes.
UCSF doctor has bold plan to achieve better healthcare access
Catherine Ho, Yahoo! News (originally: San Francisco Chronicle)
The article profiles a UCSF physician, Dr. Kevin Grumbach, proposing new approaches to improve health care accessibility and affordability. Many of the ideas center on strengthening primary care delivery and reducing barriers that prevent patients from receiving timely preventive services.
Medicare
MGMA urges Congress to overhaul Medicare physician payment, scrap MIPS tournament scoring
Austin Littrell, Physicians Practice
The Medical Group Management Association (MGMA) urges Congress to reform Medicare physician payment systems and eliminate aspects of the current MIPS scoring model. The PCC also argued in a statement for the record that the existing structure creates unnecessary administrative burden and financial instability for practices, including those in primary care.
Whole-Person Care
OPINION: Integrating mental health into primary care saves lives, money
Marcus Wallace, Tom Wroth, Christoph Diasio
This opinion piece advocates for integrating behavioral health services into primary care settings to improve patient outcomes and reduce costs. Coordinated care models can help patients receive critical early mental health support while also reducing treatment fragmentation.
Pediatric mental health diagnoses rise in primary care visits, claims study finds
Sydney Jennings, Patient Care
A new claims study found rising rates of pediatric mental health diagnoses occurring during primary care visits. The findings highlight the increasingly important role that primary care clinicians play in identifying, managing and coordinating behavioral health services for youth.
Why US life expectancy continues to trail peer nations
Julia Bonavitacola, AJMC
The article examines factors contributing to lower U.S. life expectancy compared to other developed countries, including chronic disease burden and a lack of care access. Strengthening primary care and preventive health services is presented as a key strategy for improving long-term population health outcomes.
Research and Data Hub
Primary care physician shortage strategies
Gigen Mammoser, Healthgrades for Professionals
The article outlines strategies that health systems and policymakers can use to address the growing shortage of primary care physicians across the United States. Recommendations include expanding workforce pipelines, improving retention efforts and leveraging team-based care models to improve access.
States with the highest, lowest PCP shortages in 2028
Mariah Taylor, Becker’s Clinical Leadership
This report compares projected primary care physician shortages across states through 2028. The data underscores regional disparities in access and highlights the urgent need for workforce planning and investment in underserved areas.
State Watch
Wyoming’s healthcare struggles explained to lawmakers
Noah Zahn, Wyoming Tribune Eagle Via Wyoming News Exchange
As Wyoming lawmakers held over two days of testimony, health care leaders outlined workforce shortages, access gaps and infrastructure challenges facing the state’s health care system. Rural communities continue to face significant barriers to accessing consistent primary care services, particularly in frontier regions.
Oregon committee to focus on bolstering primary care
David Raths, Healthcare Innovation
Oregon policymakers are forming a committee focused on strengthening the state’s primary care system through investment and reform initiatives. The effort reflects growing recognition that primary care is essential to improving health outcomes and lowering health care costs.
Mass. health centers push for legislation to strengthen primary care and funding
Avery Bleichfeld, The Bay State Banner
Massachusetts community health centers are advocating for various pieces of legislation, including ones aimed at increasing funding and strengthening primary care infrastructure. Supporters say greater investment is necessary to sustain services for underserved populations and address workforce shortages.
OPINION: NY kids need better access to primary care
Jeff Kaczorowski, Special to the USA TODAY Network
The article highlights barriers children in New York face when trying to access timely primary care services. Expanding pediatric primary care access through The Primary Care Investment Act (Senate Bill S1634A) could improve preventive care utilization and long-term health outcomes for New York families.
OPINION: NJ’s physician burnout crisis is pushing doctors to leave
Moishe B. Singer and Soumitra S. Bhuyan, NJ.com
In this op-ed, Moishe B. Singer and Soumitra S. Bhuyan argue that physician burnout is worsening workforce shortages across New Jersey. The authors attribute administrative burden, untenable staffing shortages and increasing patient demand as contributing factors to the mounting stress that is impacting frontline primary care clinicians.
Artificial Intelligence (AI)
The administrative burden on primary care is staggering. Technology can help—if we get it right
Sean Hogan, for the PCC
This column from PCC Board Chair Sean Hogan examines the growing administrative demands placed on primary care physicians and the impact those burdens have on patient care and clinician burnout. It argues that thoughtfully implemented technology solutions could streamline workflows, reduce documentation strain and allow clinicians to focus more fully on patients.
AAFP launches Primary Care Innovation Network and advisory committee to guide AI in frontlines of care
American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP)
AAFP announced a new initiative focused on guiding the responsible use of artificial intelligence in frontline care settings. The effort aims to ensure AI tools support primary care clinicians without increasing burden or disrupting patient relationships.
3 fixes for primary care access in the ChatGPT era
Payam Zamani, KevinMD.com
This piece explores how technology and changing patient expectations are reshaping primary care access. The author proposes solutions including digital tools, workflow redesign and new care delivery models to help practices meet growing demand.
This compilation was created with support from an AI tool.