Greater investment in primary care is associated with lower costs, higher patient satisfaction, fewer hospitalizations and emergency department visits, and lower mortality. Despite current high levels of healthcare spending in the United States, the proportion spent on primary care is insufficient. A shift in resources to support greater access to comprehensive, coordinated primary care is imperative to achieving a stronger, higher-performing healthcare system.
Underinvestment in primary care gives rise to patient access and workforce issues. A significant financial incentive for physicians and other clinicians to choose other areas of specialty undermines primary care.
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Blue Cross' $65 Billion Move Away From Fee-For-Service Medicine | Forbes | July 9, 2014 |
Study: Primary Care Doctors Increase Life Expectancy, But Does Anyone Care? | Forbes | April 8, 2019 |
A doctor’s office that’s all about you:More than 25,000 doctors commit to patient-centered care | Consumer Reports | June 3, 2013 |
Aetna Launches Patient-Centered Medical Home Program in New York | Aetna Press Release | May 20, 2013 |
BCBS of Michigan Saves $155M from Patient Centered Medical Home Program | HIT Consultant | July 10, 2013 |
Baker pushes for more emphasis on primary care, mental health | The Boston Globe | January 28, 2020 |
Better together: Medical homes and value-based designs | FierceHealthPayer | May 7, 2014 |
No More Lip Service; It’s Time We Fixed Primary Care (Part Two) | Health Affairs Blog | November 21, 2018 |
Addressing Inappropriate Care: Employers Innovating To Reduce Waste | Health Affairs Blog | May 29, 2019 |
The Importance Of Primary Care—And Of Measuring It | Health Affairs Blog | August 6, 2019 |