Comments on: "We have to make primary care a more attractive profession" http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2007/07/we-have-to-make-primary-care-more.html medical blog Mon, 23 Nov 2009 01:35:28 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Anonymous http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2007/07/we-have-to-make-primary-care-more.html/comment-page-1#comment-78104 Anonymous Tue, 24 Jul 2007 01:54:00 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/kevinmd/2007/07/we-have-to-make-primary-care-a-more-attractive-profession.html#comment-78104 >>The only hope for PCPs and patients alike is to opt out of the masochistic reimbursement madness with creative new free market financial arrangements.<br/><br/>That's kinda what I was getting to, with my question about the value of primary care, if PCP's suddenly disappeared and all that.<br/><br/>I suspect they may prove their value, indeed outside first-dollar insurance schemes. HSA's and all that. Where the patient might find value in seeing the doc who can take care of the hypertension and do the skin biopsy for cancer, or take care of the back pain, etc.<br/><br/>Or.....go to the cardiology NP and the dermatology NP and the orthopedic NP.....and pay consult fees each time. >>The only hope for PCPs and patients alike is to opt out of the masochistic reimbursement madness with creative new free market financial arrangements.

That’s kinda what I was getting to, with my question about the value of primary care, if PCP’s suddenly disappeared and all that.

I suspect they may prove their value, indeed outside first-dollar insurance schemes. HSA’s and all that. Where the patient might find value in seeing the doc who can take care of the hypertension and do the skin biopsy for cancer, or take care of the back pain, etc.

Or…..go to the cardiology NP and the dermatology NP and the orthopedic NP…..and pay consult fees each time.

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2007/07/we-have-to-make-primary-care-more.html/comment-page-1#comment-78103 Anonymous Tue, 24 Jul 2007 00:32:00 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/kevinmd/2007/07/we-have-to-make-primary-care-a-more-attractive-profession.html#comment-78103 The government and insurers will never, I repeat NEVER, raise rates for PCPs. So stop all the embarassing whining.<br/><br/>The only hope for PCPs and patients alike is to opt out of the masochistic reimbursement madness with creative new free market financial arrangements. The government and insurers will never, I repeat NEVER, raise rates for PCPs. So stop all the embarassing whining.

The only hope for PCPs and patients alike is to opt out of the masochistic reimbursement madness with creative new free market financial arrangements.

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2007/07/we-have-to-make-primary-care-more.html/comment-page-1#comment-78094 Anonymous Mon, 23 Jul 2007 23:43:00 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/kevinmd/2007/07/we-have-to-make-primary-care-a-more-attractive-profession.html#comment-78094 The problem is the lack of freedom to set prices in a free market. The problem is the lack of freedom to set prices in a free market.

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2007/07/we-have-to-make-primary-care-more.html/comment-page-1#comment-78088 Anonymous Mon, 23 Jul 2007 23:24:00 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/kevinmd/2007/07/we-have-to-make-primary-care-a-more-attractive-profession.html#comment-78088 Over 50% of all doctors in the USA are primary care. If you handed all primary care jobs over to NPs and PAs, that means half of all doctors would instantly be out of work. Over 50% of all doctors in the USA are primary care. If you handed all primary care jobs over to NPs and PAs, that means half of all doctors would instantly be out of work.

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2007/07/we-have-to-make-primary-care-more.html/comment-page-1#comment-78087 Anonymous Mon, 23 Jul 2007 21:44:00 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/kevinmd/2007/07/we-have-to-make-primary-care-a-more-attractive-profession.html#comment-78087 I'll tell you what I would be doing as a pulmonologist. I would NOT be doing primary care. <br/><br/>What this country needs is a good healthcare meltdown. I’ll tell you what I would be doing as a pulmonologist. I would NOT be doing primary care.

What this country needs is a good healthcare meltdown.

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2007/07/we-have-to-make-primary-care-more.html/comment-page-1#comment-78086 Anonymous Mon, 23 Jul 2007 20:39:00 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/kevinmd/2007/07/we-have-to-make-primary-care-a-more-attractive-profession.html#comment-78086 Let me be the devil's advocate. Spell it out for me.<br/><br/>If primary care disappeared. FP's and general internists. Everybody went into a specialty, so the total number of docs was the same.<br/><br/>What bad thing do you think would happen?<br/><br/>I have my own opinions, and it's not the null hypothesis, but I'd like to hear other opinions. Let me be the devil’s advocate. Spell it out for me.

If primary care disappeared. FP’s and general internists. Everybody went into a specialty, so the total number of docs was the same.

What bad thing do you think would happen?

I have my own opinions, and it’s not the null hypothesis, but I’d like to hear other opinions.

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2007/07/we-have-to-make-primary-care-more.html/comment-page-1#comment-78082 Anonymous Mon, 23 Jul 2007 19:09:00 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/kevinmd/2007/07/we-have-to-make-primary-care-a-more-attractive-profession.html#comment-78082 Especially the suits in Democrat garb Especially the suits in Democrat garb

]]> By: David http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2007/07/we-have-to-make-primary-care-more.html/comment-page-1#comment-78079 David Mon, 23 Jul 2007 18:53:00 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/kevinmd/2007/07/we-have-to-make-primary-care-a-more-attractive-profession.html#comment-78079 You do realize, of course, that the reaction from the suits will be to lower the salaries of specialists to obtain parity... ;) You do realize, of course, that the reaction from the suits will be to lower the salaries of specialists to obtain parity… ;)

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2007/07/we-have-to-make-primary-care-more.html/comment-page-1#comment-78073 Anonymous Mon, 23 Jul 2007 16:51:00 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/kevinmd/2007/07/we-have-to-make-primary-care-a-more-attractive-profession.html#comment-78073 What we should do is hand over the PC duties to NPs and PAs (who can do it at much lower cost) and have the MDs all become specialists. What we should do is hand over the PC duties to NPs and PAs (who can do it at much lower cost) and have the MDs all become specialists.

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2007/07/we-have-to-make-primary-care-more.html/comment-page-1#comment-78072 Anonymous Mon, 23 Jul 2007 16:26:00 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/kevinmd/2007/07/we-have-to-make-primary-care-a-more-attractive-profession.html#comment-78072 Oh no, the cat's out of the bag!<br/><br/>They've discovered that we specialists get paid for coordinating care, talking to social workers and talking to PCP's on the phone.<br/><br/>Dang! Oh no, the cat’s out of the bag!

They’ve discovered that we specialists get paid for coordinating care, talking to social workers and talking to PCP’s on the phone.

Dang!

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