A new survey from the Primary Care Collaborative reveals that adults in the United States overwhelmingly prefer to receive care from primary care practices over retail clinics and emergency departments — but many encounter difficulties accessing and affording primary care.
The data underscores recent research from the PCC indicating that the number of primary care clinicians is dwindling due to underinvestment, leaving more people unable to establish a regular primary care relationship. The United States spends less than five cents of every health care dollar on primary care, despite evidence that it improves outcomes for patients at lower costs. Having access to a regular source of primary care is associated with fewer emergency department visits and hospitalizations, lower odds of dying prematurely and lower health care costs.
By supporting policies that invest in and strengthen primary care, policymakers can help ensure that Americans can obtain the kind of relationship-based primary care that they prefer. The Primary Care Collaborative and its Better Health – NOW Partners have developed concrete proposals policymakers can implement today to deliver on the Promise of Primary Care.
