Shortage of Primary Care MDs in US

Interesting article, I wonder if the "specialists" are overpaid yet it didn't mention one area of concern which is insurance for each area: primary care vs specialist that I have heard is very high due to the possibility of litigation. A few other articles I have read has suggested capping the max on litigation thus reducing insurance costs to the physician which we all wind up paying for in our bills and insurance payments. Another neglected area is equipment. If anyone has priced the exact equipment sold to a hospital/to a patient for home use/and I am sure to a doctor's office there would be a large varience.

I know of one primary doctor in my area that has negated the overhead of office management by simply not having an office using the "old fashioned" home visits. I wonder if this is something to consider in primary care also.

Utilization of APNs as PCPs would be useful too.

Looks like my decision pursue an MSN in community/public health and a MPH will pay off. From the sounds of the article, ANPs will definitely be in demand and fulfill some of the need. Isn't it exciting to be a nurse at this time! If we come together and make our VOICE heard we can change things. Problem is that we have too many voices screaming different things at the same time. Our change can begin now if the ANA does its job.

How do we make the public and congress more aware of how an APNs can contribute to the resolution of this health care crisis? I wonder if they are already aware of the possibilities but must contend with the all powerful AMA who thinks that nurses want to be noctors or nursicians. We are not pretending to be physicians and most of us would never want to be.

We are great and powerful nurses protectors, promoters and optimizers of health and abilities, working to prevent illness and injury, alleviate suffering through the diagnosis and treatment of human response, advocators in the care of individuals, families, communities, and populations (the definition of nursing according to the ANA). Sounds like a group of heroes to me!


If we are successful in this goal, then physicians are not the all powerful decision makers and may possibly have fewer clients. Is that what they are afraid of?

Okay enough of my ranting. I hope we see true change soon!

That's an interesting article...I'm planning to pursue a career as a FNP; I read several months ago that only 2% of people currently in med school were planning to go into general practice. I also read that by 2015 the minimum requirement for NP's was going to be a doctorate, and that NP's with master's degrees prior to that date would be grandfathered in; however I'm not sure if that's across the board or if it would be different from state to state, like the prescriptive powers are