And if so, is this the best time to start a turf war?

The ACP’s Bob Doherty highlights a study from the research arm of the American Academy of Family Physicians suggesting that, “Medicare spending by general internists and subspecialists is significantly higher than for family physicians.”

I haven’t seen the study myself, but if this is correct, is it really the time to release a study that will divide primary care doctors?

Or, perhaps the AAFP sees the vulnerability in primary care internal medicine, and sees this as an ideal opportunity kill of the field and exert its influence.

How Machiavellian.

As Mr. Doherty says, “it will be regrettable if this article ends up creating a war of words on the value of family medicine versus internal medicine, when we should remain united on the essential contributions of both.”

Agreed. Primary care is on life support now, and with impending health reform, both family physicians and primary care internists need to be united in order for generalist medicine to stay alive.