Benjamin Brewer: “Medical students’ interest in general internal medicine and family medicine has dropped for more than a decade and hasn’t yet stabilized. Nurse practitioners and physician assistants with less clinical diagnostic training than doctors are filling the primary care workforce void. It’s been my observation that they order more tests to evaluate the same problem than doctors do because of the experience factor. Like a teenager behind the wheel, adding speed and power without careful judgment can compound problems.”
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In addition to the increase in tests, we have seen a huge increase (400%) in specialty referrals. These are for conditions that are normally managed by internists and FPS such as diabetes, hypertension and osteoarthritis. (Endocrine, carsiology and ortho consults repectively)
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