The Case for Primary Care

The current issue of Managed Care contains an interview with Dr. Barbara Starfield, director of the Johns Hopkins Primary Care Policy Center and firm believer in primary care. The interview highlights Dr. Starfield’s thoughts on the current state of primary care in the U.S., and she believes that the overuse and misuse of medical specialists is bad for the system, bad for the patient, and raises health care costs in the U.S. Some interesting points are made, and when asked what three things would turn the current state of the primary care around, Dr. Starfield responded with,

• a published report that takes into account the social aspect of medical education rather than just the biomedical
• a change in reimbursement policies so that primary care physicians and specialists are paid equally
• use what we know about primary care to change the way physicians care for and refer patients

The interview also discusses how the medical home “movement” fits in to the changes that Dr. Starfield would like to see in primary care. The interview is worth a read and can be found beginning on page 33 here. Post your thoughts in the comments below!