The number of medical school graduates going into primary care practice falling into chasm.
A graph tells a thousand words. In 1991 about 15% of medical school grads went into primary care. Then came a surge of PCPs from 1997 to 2000 when 35 to 40% of graduates set off on primary care careers. Today that number has plunged a steep drop to around 18%.
Without primary care doctors, there will not be anywhere for those who might soon be covered by some form of national health insurance to go for care. The emergency rooms will feel the pinch. Costs will go up. And, by the way, did we mention that the number of ER facilities in America is also dropping. 
Source: New York Times
Filed Under: Hospital Leadership
About the Author
Cary understands what it takes to make, “Better American Hospitals.” In addition to being a seasoned consultant, Cary has worked as interim hospital CMO in three different organizations, as well as served as medical director for two multi-specialty medical groups and several HMOs. Cary has a solid history of leading medical staff through improvements in utilization management, changes in peer review practices, and corrective action procedures. As President and Chief Operating Officer, Cary is armed with a diverse background in hospital, medical group, and managed care settings, and has immersed himself in developing the strong knowledge base and extraordinary skill set needed to successfully improve today’s hospitals.
While serving as a member of the American College of Physician Executives, Cary has used his deep knowledge of the complex structures of the healthcare field and applied it toward implementing quality improvement initiatives and developing governance structures, strong compensation plans, productivity reporting models, and effective physician management training programs. Prior to joining Compass Group, Cary provided a number of successful consultant services resulting in projects that included the effective merging of medical staff of two hospitals, reducing the length of stay at hospitals, decreasing inpatient utilization for managed care organizations in several markets, the successful turnaround of the financial performance of a Medicare PHO with full capitation, mentoring Chief Medical Officers, evaluating medical group capability for managing capitation, and improving operating room utilization. Cary continues to use his compelling interpersonal skills to maintain a strong focus on improving clinical operations, developing medical staff leadership, and strengthening physician relationships.
While Cary served on active duty in the U.S. Navy, he was Head of the Quality Assurance Department of the Navy Medical Command, National Capital Region, in Bethesda, Maryland. Cary is board certified and completed a laboratory medicine residency and an immunohematology fellowship at Washington University in St. Louis. In addition to his numerous national speaking engagements, he has authored a number of publications including, Hospital Service Recovery, Journal of Hospital Marketing and Public Relations.
Case studies to learn more about ways in which Compass Clinical has worked to create better American hospitals.